Firebrand
by guiltypen
Summary: The same hero's you love, with a new twist. An assassination ploy sends Zuko off the edge of his kingdom, literally. When a mysterious girl saves him, everyone thinks she's behind it all.  Oh and did I mention Zuko has a fear of touching people? R&R!  :
1. Chapter 1

Kahealani (Kah-hey-ah-la-nee)

Firebrand [ˈfaɪəˌbrænd]

_n__._

1. A piece of burning or glowing wood or other material

2. A person who causes unrest or is very energetic

3. A person who stirs up trouble or kindles a revolt.

God's and mortals aren't supposed to fall in love. The power that is wielded upon them as punishment is as dangerous as the power their offspring's may hold.

So when the powerful and fearful White Dragon- the sole protector of The Nations- and The loving and fierce Painted Lady - Goddess of the night - have an offspring they do everything that they can to keep her safe. As they know, their love was never meant to be, so they hid their child, a half-dragon half-goddess, in the hands of the only people who can protect her- The Fire Sages.

The Fire Sages protected and taught the little girl of her origin. She was brought up to be a defender of the innocent and helpless. Though, her temper was as fiery as her genealogy, it made her a stubborn leader but also a sign of strength for those who had none.

Over the years, the little girl, Ai, grew up and inspired many people in her travels. One day during the Hundred Year War, she helped the local relief workers who were stationed on the country side of the Fire Nation. There she met a common samurai assigned to protect the richest family in the area.

He was as ordinary as she was extraordinary, and as patterns appear over time, cycles present themselves, attracting opposites. They fell into helpless, hopeful love, and that perfect love gave form and substance to a beautiful daughter given unto the world.

But the upper gods and demons knew that something was wrong.

The shift of good and evil, darkness and light were altered leaving each side vulnerable.

This gave an opportunity for the demons to strike, and they took down an entire island before the gods decided to act.

As much as they hated it, both sides needed to work together to destroy this family.

So when the family was on their pet dragon the forces of nature took work. A bolt of lightning hit the dragon sending him down and the earth opened up to consume the sinners- as the story is told.

Over the years, the Gods and Demons have forgotten of that fateful day. But, something that they well never know was that there was a survivor.

An honorable samurai, a half-goddess, and a tiny baby girl, the odds are unbelievable, only a sole survivor, the helpless baby girl, without a scratch.

She fell from the sky, right into the arms of the enemy. This man knew of the girls powers and used it to his advantage, he brought the girl up to never know where she came from, never truly knowing why she didn't look like her family, and she became his protégé.

The local papers named her the Dragon Catcher, since she fell into the arms of the Ryuu family, the most powerful and feared family in the societies of the Fire nation.

But her real name was Kahealani- The Call of the Heavens, and this is her story.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chp 2.**

_Kahealani: _

My feet carried me like if I were flying, looking down I could barely tell where the graveled path started and my feet ended. I pasted the twin lookout towers blinding fast and headed towards the festival. As there were among hundreds and thousands of people attending the New Year's Festival it would be easy to sneak past the local guards and lose the others from the previous town in the mitts of it all.

I threw my hood on and slowed my pace as the festival music got louder. Searching my bag for the necklace I grabbed it- the sapphire and amber dragons swirled on an opal background linking itself to a golden chain- glistened in the moonlight as a daily reminder of where and whom I was from.

I heard the hooves of stallion-zebra's, the fastest and most beautiful creatures in the Fire Nation, making its way quickly down the street. I followed a few teenagers in red-and-green _Noh _masks who turned down a side alley, and slipped the necklace around my neck, falling peacefully inside of my shirt.

Then fell into step behind another taller man in Dai Li protocol uniform. _Safest place to hide is in plain sight, _I heard my father's voice quietly instruct me, as I moved closer to the man because of the people surrounding us.

A familiar shimmer shifted throughout my body, something I commonly felt but each time I did it felt like the first- electrifying, and took my hood off while shaking my hair loose.

"Excuse me pretty lady!" the warrior said after he quickly turned around and knocked me to the ground. Catching me off guard, I looked up and found glassy lime-colored eyes looking hungrily through me. Dai Li- the protectors of Ba Sing Se, but as everyone in prison says that they do have a reputation of 'mysteriously' finding lost girls who just happen to have been raped.

_Sick bastard_, I thought as his eyes glanced over me more than a few times.

"No, entirely my fault." I said quietly as I got up and looked again at the owner of the pouch I was now putting in my bag.

I turned to leave, but got caught on the shoulder, "Excuse me, MISS!"

"_Damn it," _I whispered quietly.

I turned on my heel and looked at him square in the eye, "Yes?"

"You h-have very pret-tahh blue eyes, did you know smat?" I sighed, happily. Glad for one that he was drunk and that my eyes were blue this time.

_Like my mothers, _I thought.

"Thank you very much." I said, and fell into sync with the swarm of people making their way in the opposite direction.

I found myself being carried towards the food venders and jumped out of the throng of people.

There were hundreds of venders that my stomach was aching in anticipation of the food we were about to consume. I located the pouch and shifted it in my palm.

_Might as well have fun while I'm here, _I thought happily to myself.

"Yes miss?" the vender asked.

"One bag of fire flakes please?" I said in reply, opening the pouch to find much more money than I expected. "Actually you know what? Make that three!"

_Zuko:_

My breath caught as Mae dug her nails in my shoulder blade. She was always good at the make-up sex than the actually making-up part.

"I'm sorry," I breathed as she slowly came back down.

"For what," her voice barely a whisper.

The funny part was I forgot.

"I'm just sorry." I said, holding her close as she laid her head on my chest.

She didn't say anything but squirmed on top of me.

"What?"

"I have to go." I looked down at her, her charcoal eyes had a casted shadow of orange that came off the candle next to my bed. She didn't look happy. She never did even in bed. But I didn't complain, she was going through a tough time- her little brother was being raised to become part of the war council and she wasn't even so much a reference.

I nodded and she hopped off me leaving my chest as cold as before. I turned to see her put on the new clothes I had gotten her for the festival, "So you are going to the festival." I thought aloud, something I had inherited from Uncle over the years.

"Yea, is that a problem?" she asked, not even bothering to explain.

"No, just…. Asking."

"Ok"

"Right"

"Hey, Zuko?"

"Yes?"

"You might want to get some new gloves; I think I could feel it tearing." Her voice was condescending. But, I was too tired and I didn't want to lose my buzz, so I just nodded instead of yelling at her-again. Because that was how our relationship worked- she say something mean, I'd tell her what I thought of it, she'd cry and get mad, I say I'm sorry, and we have sex. Pathetic, but I was getting the routine down.

She stopped with her hand on the knob, maybe having some inner conflict with herself to leave or not.

"Why do you wear those again?" she asked, staring me blank in the eye. Or should I say scar?

_Because if I can't control myself, I develop the ability to see your death,_ I thought.

"Because I'm developing a rash remember?" I said, placing my hands behind my head before looking at my decorated ceiling. I heard the door slam next, _didn't even say goodbye, _I thought tiredly. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something peaceful, but failed.

"_So what you're saying is that when you touch someone you can see their death before it happens?" Toph asked, as we started our daily game of Pai Sho together, something we've been doing since I dethroned myself and made Uncle the Fire Lord._

"_Mostly yes," _

"_Ok? But do you know how ridiculous that sounds?" _

"_Yes I do, and I don't expect you to understand but-" _

"_Especially, how ironic that is? I mean your entire family practically started a hundred year old genocide, and now you see ghosts and shit?" she continued patronizing me. _

"_No when I touch them, I see their deaths- not their ghosts."_

"_Right, my bad" She said skeptically, contemplating her next move. I always found it funny how she always insisted that we play this game- she was just so stubborn- but that was probably the only reason why she could put up with me. During the years, we have gotten closer- out of all the people that I had known throughout my life her and my Uncle were always there. Always pushing me; always telling me I could be better, though I never told them about this- I didn't believe it back then, but now it's somewhat hard to ignore. _

"_Do you think I enjoy this? Do you think I like seeing people that I know die?" I snapped and she flinched. _

"_No! Zuko, shit. That's not what I meant it's just, why?" She looked at me square in the face, and I squirmed. There was something about a blind girl looking straight into your eyes even though she can't tell where they are exactly that was eerie. _

"_Fuck, who knows? Maybe some God wants me to pay for what my family has done?" I fiddled with the White Lotus piece in my gloved hand. _

"_The really creepy part about this is that you're not lying," she added. _

_I moved my piece and then she moved hers, I was clearly winning but, she was still trying. I huffed in frustration after a long moment, "What!" I demanded. _

"_Do you know… I mean... have you seen me?" she asked quietly. _

_I didn't like to think about it much but, "Yours was actually the second vision I got." _

"_Oh."_

"_Yes." _

"_And? I mean was it, you know pleasant?" She moved another piece. It was actually pretty humane, she dies from old age. _

_From habit, I pinched my nose and blew hot air out of my mouth. "Toph it's not bad I promise, but do you really want to know?" _

"_I… sort of?" _

_I got up when I heard the teapot whistle. "You die from old age." I said quietly. _

_I heard her inhale slowly. "How do you know it's real? That you're not having just some sick day-dreams?"_

"_Because Toph… I saw Azula die from heart-failure the day you and I went to see her before she actually did."_

"_I remember that. Is that why you left before she woke up?"_ "_Yes." _

_Azula was doing so much better too, she was starting to sound normal. But then all of a sudden she died the next day. A long silence stretched between us as I poured some green tea into our cups. _

"_Am I the first to know?" _

"_Yes."_

"_You haven't even told Iroh yet?" _

"_I will…. I just need time." _

"_And when did this happen?"_

"_About the same time I recovered after being hit by Azula's lighting"_

"_Oh, so about a year ago?"_

"_Yes." I brought the cups to the table and put Toph's cup in her hand._

"_Well! I mean look on the bright side? You can save all those people now!" she said, trying to cheer me up, but I had already made this decision and it was tearing me up inside. _

"_I can't." I said quietly._

"_Why not!" she said, clearly not getting the bigger picture._

"_Because if I do, it's like playing God I get to pick and choose who I want to live- and I can not do that! Death is inevitable, Toph and no matter how hard I try I can never change that!" _

I was brought back from my revere with the sound of fireworks outside. I told Toph that about 3 years ago, and I still couldn't handle what has been cursed upon me.

I slowly got up, as my mind was a little foggy on what I was doing.

My brain kept chanting, _Death is inevitable, Death, Death, Death._ I found my feet walking out of my window and climbed their way on top of the roof. The wind was strong blowing my hair in every direction, and I heard the drums pound like the stead beat of my long frozen heart. I looked down and found thousands of little people running, singing, and playing- enjoying themselves. While I stood here, on top of my domain trying to clear my mind of what I have in life.

A firework spooked its way into my line of vision and headed towards me.

I fell to my feet as I dodged the firework and it exploded not too far from my face. The impact of the explosion resulted in my body being knocked off its feet and I was sent tumbling off the edge of the building.

I grabbed onto a piece of brick but it crumbled under my touch, and I was flying.

Flying- I had never felt so free, so _alive. _

_You are going to die, Zuko. Do something. _I heard in my head, the sweet sound of my mother's soft voice.

My brain just chanted. Death. Death. Death.

_No!_ I thought. _I have so much to live for, so much to achieve, and too much to fix. I will not allow myself to die now!_

I inhaled deeply, and tried to firebend. It wasn't working. I tried again, as I hurtled closer to the ground and I heard the screeching sounds of people screaming.

_Work damn it! _

My body was like a piece of glass being thrown across the room- flipping and rotating as it was being thrown in the air, but at the same time practically weightless...until it hits the ground.

I flipped horizontally and whacked against something hard- my head automatically registered the pain, and I cried out.

My body turned so I faced the ground, and I thought about how long it seems to be suspended in the air then it actually is to be on the ground watching this. I caught the eyes of my people- but one caught mine in particular. The pair of crystal-clear blue eyes running towards me as I got closer to the ground, I couldn't make out her face but her eyes- I could see it all- awe-struck, helpless, sadness. So much emotion behind such a unique pair of eyes.

Before I blackout from the pain, the last thought I had was: Seeing her face again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chp. 3**

_Zuko_

Sweat trickled my forehead. Every time I breathed, my lungs felt like they were on fire. My body ached and my head was pounding. Opening my eyes was a lost cause the sun only became heightened in result blurring my vision, so I kept them shut listening to the trouble I gotten myself into this time.

After a moment of silence Sokka finally filled the void, "So what's your name?"

_Who is he talking too? _

But after a moment of awkward silence, it sounded like he wasn't going to get any answers.

Sokka smacked something wet on my forehead, a towel? It helped somewhat…

"No Sokka, the question is: what should we call you?" I heard Toph's voice for the first time, it sounded tired and... intrigued?

One thing I knew about Toph was that she was never intrigued.

"Fire Lord Iroh seems to know you. He calls you Jasmine- is Jasmine your name?"

No response.

"Well, we'll call you Jasmine anyway. Is that alright with you?" That was Suki's voice.

Someone let out an exasperated sigh.

"You do realize that the only reason why you're still free is because you know the Fire Lord. So why don't you tell us why you saved Zuko? Not that we're not grateful, just because you don't seem like type of the person who would. 'Cause from what I've heard is that you're quiet the little girl- accused of theft, impersonation of a royal guard- from all four nations might I add- and suspicion of starting a new rebellion. Now, your obvious charm is wearying on people here, and they might not see to kindly to the same punishment in about, I don't know... maybe two minutes from now?" That was Aang's voice, which is usually so neutral and calm.

But now? He sounded like...like the teenager he was.

"Maybe, she doesn't speak our language?" Sokka deduced.

"No, we've already ruled that out. Iroh knows her, he just won't tell us just how yet. But from what I can gather, is that she does understand us."

I felt like opening my eyes to see what the hell was happening, but they just didn't seem to open.

"DOOO. YOUU!. UNDERSTAND. MEE!"

"Sokka, shut up! You'll wake him!"

"Sorry, Suki. She's... she's just good. I mean I can't believe she hasn't cracked yet." I heard the frustration in his voice.

"Jasmine? If that is your name? I saw you waterbend, and I just would like you to know that I'm a waterbender too!" It was Katara's enthusiastic tone that made my head pulse even more.

"Really? You're still trying to use that line on them, Katara?" Aang quietly remarked, my reality was starting to come back to me now. Aang and Katara were fighting, Toph and Sokka were trying to play detective- all was right with the world...

I could clearly hear someone inhale a deep breath, and exhale.

I tried to do the same, Inhaling was fine but exhaling- it felt as if one of my lungs collapsed.

"Ow," I said inaudibly.

"Oh! Zuko! Are you ok?" Katara asked. I felt her gloved hands on my bare chest.

Right, gloved... now I remember...

An electrifying ripple shot threw me- but I liked this one.

It wasn't pain, but pleasure. The unusual part was it started and ended at other set of fingertips.

My eyes shot open and I found what I was looking for- it was that _girl._ "What are you doing to me," I said my voice raspy.

"Healing," Katara, said simply. The girls' small fingers moved from my chest eventually making there way to my face. Her fingers kneaded on my temples, and I did everything in my power not to moan.

"How long," I tried to say, but my throat… it was so dry…

"Counting today, about six days," Toph's voice was back to its carefree tone.

Wait, this felt too extraordinarily normal "Are you wearing gloves?"

A long silence hung in the air, as I look into the girls azure eyes. They were so, _expressive. _She looked so calm, and yet so horrified.

_She doesn't have any gloves on, she doesn't have any gloves on,_ I thought- trying to prepare myself for the blast of visions I was about to endure.

"Jasmine you need to stop!" Toph's voice had a ring of authority that even scared me, but Jasmine didn't hesitate.

"No, don't stop." I didn't care how needy I sounded right now, her fingers just felt so right….

And she didn't.

Not until the sun fell in front of my closed eyes and began to disappear. Everyone started to leave one-by-one. Leaving only Toph, and _her. _

The girl stopped and I opened my eyes involuntarily.

Blinking a couple of times, I looked for Jasmine. Searching for her face I only found her backside. She was reaching for a bag on the chair closest to my bed. Her frame was curvy and her clothes were, odd…

Her pants looked like they were painted on- made of what looked like a blue type of cotton stitched together tightly. Her dark tresses flowed down to the length of her waist. Her hair moved side-to-side as she gathered her herbs into her bag, I could make out that her shirt was black.

But that was about it.

"Well, I think I should let you rest for a bit. Jasmine, thank you for taking care of him. I'll make sure someone comes up and gives him some extra water like you suggested." Toph said to Jasmine, but her voice felt distant.

Jasmine turned on her heel and I finally found what I was looking for.

Her face and arms were thin, underweight even, though what flesh was there was hard muscle. Freckles dusted her cheekbones, and her eyes were a clear azure blue. She wore a black top that wrapped around her bust and had no sleeves. Her hair curled down and around her shoulders, framing her semi-tan face.

From my two decades of traveling the world-, I have never seen anyone more beautiful and exotic and at the same time utterly simple. But she looked so young- maybe 17?

Her eyes shone like a reflective pool of pure water, but I could tell there was something else brewing under there.

I felt like I knew her- the way her jaw line made a round accent under her face or the way her lips were full and pastel that it looked like a pale cherry blossom- just looked familiar.

"Thank you," I said finally as she turned to leave- willing her with my eyes to stay longer just so I could find out who she really was. Her necklace gleamed in the now raising moon- it had an opal background as a blue and red dragon circled each other, twisting and swirling, their heads faced each other looking at a white pearl that linked the pendant to a golden chain.

I knew that necklace….

It looked fire nation, but still everything about her just reminded me of someone.

Her full lips smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that was adorned with numerous piercings. She nodded slightly and then turned to leave, closing the door quietly behind her.

"So I'm guessing you didn't see anything from her then?" Toph whispered once Jasmine was far enough away from the room.

"I… I didn't."

"Well, that's unusual. I guess you have a weakness."

I tried sitting up. It stung a bit, but I felt enormously better. "What are you talking about?"

"_Her._ She is the probably the only one that we've met that you haven't seen _die _yet." She started walking towards the bed. Over the years, Toph began to look more like a woman and in her own way-; her long black hair flowed gracefully, as she wore traditional clothing and military boots.

"I don't think that, it was probably because I just so tired..." I mumbled. But Toph was already on a new subject.

"Oh, Iroh asked me specifically if you remembered anything unusual before you fell." Her voice reminded me of the many times that she interrogated citizens when we were looking for my mother a long time ago…

"I don't remember much. Mai made me some tea after the play and we…."

"Had sex?" I smacked my hand against my forehead. "Toph…."

"Hey Sparky really? That's all you people ever do, sex fight sex fight. Mai didn't sound mad at you when she came over a couple of days ago so I ruled fighting out. It's not rocket science there Sparky Pants."

"Ok, fine we had sex. Are you happy?"

"Oh Agni, there is no need to flaunt it…"

"Toph!" She laughed at my embarrassment.

"Ok, ok. I was kidding! But do you remember anything after that?"

"I remember she left…. And I went out onto the patio…. Then I was up on the roof…. And a firework almost hit me but I dodged it and I fell…"

She nodded, "Is that all?"

"I tried to use my fire bending but... it wasn't working. Then I remember hitting my head against a piece of tile. Then I blacked out."

"That's weird…"

"My sentiment exactly," I nodded in agreement, but then forgot she couldn't see me do it.

"Do you remember why you went on the roof?"

Each time I tried recalling it in my head, it seemed to become foggier. "I remember I was sort of depressed-"

"More than usual," Toph added dryly.

I ignored the comment and continued, "-and on the roof is where I like to clear my head. Then the firework almost hit me… and you know the rest." She considered that for a while, which gave me some time to figure this all out on my own. Because that was no accident for sure- It was planned to end me.

"It had to have been someone who was working at the Royal Firework Station and someone who knew I went on the roof a lot."

Maybe a neglected servant? Or an escaped citizen who was in the cult that still empowered my father's teachings?

I pinched my nose and blew hot air out of my mouth. Toph shook her head, "I'll look at all the people who were working at the Firework Station and I'll get back to you."

"But there's no guarantee I'll be able to find these people." She finished, bringing a cup of tea to my face, I took it politely.

"And that's why you get paid the big bucks." I joked with no humor behind it.

She smirked, "I'm serious Zuko, this was planned in advance- and there's truly no way to find out who it is without a lead- and Mai's not talking. Plus, I mean everyone in the Fire Nation including the other three nations must have been at that square when you fell."

I nodded, "I know this to be true, but don't you think that maybe it was coincidence?"

She jumped off the bed and earth bended herself to the door, "Really Zuko? You were probably drugged at the show- that's one person. You were influenced by that to head up to the roof were a firework just so happens to go off course, even though you're FIREBENDERS and you CONTROL THEM- that's another person. And a mysterious girl just so happens to save you- that makes three."

"And you know about things that happen in threes!" she finished ranting, but continued to pace around the door.

"You think Jasmine is behind it?" I said, dumbfounded…. She just couldn't there was no way in hell. I don't know how I know but it was just one of those gut-feeling things...

"I hope not, she's a smart kid, Zuko. I mean the entire time I was cross-examining her heart beat was so under control I was beginning to think she was sleeping-"

"You cross-examined her?"

"For good measure! Come on think about it? A beautiful girl just so happens to see you conveniently falling from the sky and decides to save you!"

"I don't know... She's smart, maybe as smart as me. But, I don't think she's that powerful to kill you nor has the conscience to do so maybe that's why she saved you?" Toph mumbled on, talking to herself- I suppose Jasmine didn't unsettle just me…

"So you think she tried to kill me, but couldn't go through with it?" She looked at me from across the room like she forgot I was still there.

She shook her head again, "I don't know! Maybe she was an accomplice to the crime, but didn't have the balls to go through with it?"

"I believe I just said that." She looked at me and shook her head once more.

She stared at through the open window looking straight at the moon, even though she didn't know it.

I decided to distract her, "How do you know she's beautiful?"

Toph laughed out loud, "Come on, Sparky! She's been her for at least a week and she's already the talk of the whole fire nation. She's even on the paper, from what Katara says. And did you see the way Sokka was fidgeting around her?"

I shook my head and she laughed again, "I mean you should have heard your heart pounding my friend..." She voice ended softly. She looked lost in thought.

"Zuko?"

"Yes?"

"Do you like her?" My heart skipped a beat and I knew she heard it.

"No, I just… I mean… I'm with Mae!"

Toph chuckled, "Oh yea, that's real convincing."

"She might have tried to kill me, Toph!" Why are things always so complicated? Why can't I just have a normal life?

_Because you were meant to have this destiny, Zuko. Because only one alone can fix this and it's you. _I heard the soft voice of my mother, always guiding me.

She's right. I can fix this. I will fix this.

"I think you should keep your distance from her Zuko. Just in case." Toph headed towards the door and opened it this time before saying, "I'll speak with Iroh. Just get some sleep Sparky."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chp. 4**

_Toph:_

"Why? Why, why why why?" I don't get it! Me! The commander-in-chief of the Fire Nation Army, does not get why that girl saved him?

Not that I am not grateful, I mean he's my best friend if I lost him I don't know what I'd do.

But there's just one piece of the puzzle that I don't get.

It doesn't make any sense…

There was a knock on my office door, and one of the royal guards opened it.

"Commander Toph," his rough voice rang in my ears, leaving goosebumps on my skin.

"Well if it isn't King Makoto? And what did I do to have the pleasure?" I came around the front of my desk and sat on the edge.

"Oh I don't know? A little rebellion, a sprinkle of desperation. You know a suicide note entailing how much you've missed me doesn't hurt either?" My lips formed a half-smile, showing him only half as much as I would like to in the presence of my men.

"You mind leaving, Shin?" I asked, and was rewarded with his retreading footsteps. Even before Shin closed the door Makoto closed the distance between us.

"Hello," he said pleasantly, his presence filled all of my senses, leaving me lightheaded as always. He brought my hands to his face and I found his lips easily, the contours of his face already memorized in the soles of my palms.

"How is the Earth Kingdom?" I asked, running my hands through his hair.

"Boring, it just does not fell the same without my fiancée there." I frowned slightly.

"What?"

"Fiancée." I said the word with utter repulsion.

"Well yes, it is customary to call the girl you are going to marry your fiancée." He came closer and nuzzled my neck.

"Why do we have to get married again?" I tried to move him away, trying to clear my head, but he didn't budge, and just started laughing.

"What?" I asked.

"You- aha, you just…."

"What?" my patience wasn't something to mess with.

"The Blind Bandit, the great and mighty Toph is….. is afraid of commitment?" his voice was incredulous.

Ah, me afraid of commitment…. Please…..

"I'm not afraid of anything." I said, hoping off the desk and earthbending myself behind it.

"Out of the 7 years that I've known you, I wouldn't think it either…" he pondered aloud, just baiting me out of the water like the sucker I was.

"-but I guess all things are possible."

"Not true!"

He ignored me and continued, "I guess I can just marry a nice earth bender peasant, or maybe a water tribe healer- I hear they are pretty fun. And you can have a nice relationship with some boring man that is afraid of you and will never leave you because you'll crush him to bits."

"No! No! You are mine, you understand?" I bended myself off the ground and onto his lap. Underneath me I felt him chuckle, but barely could hear it.

"And that is why we are getting married. So neither you nor I kill our mythological mistresses."

I covered my face with my hands and mumbled, "You are ridiculous."

"Ridiculous, yes. A little tipsy from the boat ride with my solders over here, possibly. But completely happy and thrilled that the woman I want to marry, to have by my side forever, also deep down- somewhere down in the caves of her wonderful heart- wants to marry me as well? Well that answer is as clear as the wind." I didn't know what to do next. I never really got used to him always proclaiming his love for me, but somehow I knew that I wanted this too. Wanted him. Forever.

But in my line of work, and the things that I have felt, forever isn't always forever.

"I love you," I said, knowing full well that since I could never have forever, I should make the most out of now.

"I know." He said simply bringing his arms around me and started kissing my hair. Another knock on the door interrupted our reunion.

"What?" I yelled, but Makoto countered me, "Come on in."

"Toph, eer…do you want me to come back?" his voice was tired and groggy.

"Zuko, pleasure to see you again." Makoto said, inconspicuously putting himself in between Zuko and I, which in result drove me crazy. He always seemed to be even more protective when Zuko came around.

"Yes you too. How is the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko's diplomatic talk, which has been more refined over the years, still puts me to sleep.

"Good, I actually just-"

"Yea yea, what do you want Sparky?" I said, interrupting their 'exciting conversation'. "Uncl- Fire Lord Iroh wants to have a meeting with the girl, and we need you there. I'm sorry Makoto if Fire Lord Iroh knew you were here he would have included you in the invitation."

"No worries." he said.

"Let's go then." I said, untangling myself from Makoto and moved in the direction of the War Room.

Once in the hallway, Makoto grabbed me from behind and whispered with his husky voice I hated/loved so much, "We'll finish what we started in your office later on tonight."

As much as I hated it, I knew anyone in a 10 mile radius would be able to hear my heartbeat accelerate.

_**Kahealani: **_

_The island seemed to be filled with people, I felt so anxious from all the energy surrounding me- it was overwhelming. _

"_Come on, let's keep moving," my father's close friend instructed. He took me and my mother towards the islands' one-and-only dock. We reached a small ship, and he told me to get on it. _

"_What? Are you guys not coming?" I asked, suspiciously._

"_Kahea, the man on that boat will take you anywhere you want to go, just please get on the boat." He pleaded me with his dark russet eyes. It was early morning, all the fisherman were either coming back or just starting their journeys. The perfect time to escape… _

"_Why? Why do I need to leave, I mean I don't even know your name! Why should I do what you say?" He was giving me the choice to leave my family, but why?_

"_Because, you are not safe here-" his almost all-grey hair whipped hectically in the now awakening breeze._

"_I'm not safe anywhere." I told him solemnly, I was a threat to people. _

"_-Look! Kahea you don't have time for this. You need to leave for the sake of your sanity." My mother told me, her blue eyes shown against the azure ocean. _

"_Why are you making me leave? What did I ever do? I mean whatever I did I'll fix i-"_

"_It's what you're not doing. You should be saving the world, not sitting on this island killing people on your fathers command!"_

"_That's not true! I am worth nothing, and the only way in proving that I am greater is in following my father's instructions. And if it means killing bad people than so be it!" You would think with all the yelling, someone would look up, but no one did- no one ever does. _

_My fathers' friend shook his head furiously. His usual pink energy was now shifting to other colors, mainly meaning that he was confused. _

"_My name is Iroh. I am the brother of the Fire Lord, and I command you to leave!" Iroh? Fire Lord?_

"_Pftt, command me?" I moved away from the boat._

_He laughed, not a happy laugh more like an exhausted one. "You remind me of my nephew, always trying to please the person who doesn't deserve it." I gave up on the crazy old man, and look at my mother._

"_What about you? I can't leave you here alone." As much as I respected my father, he was never nice to my mother- I was the one usually protecting her and healing her wounds._

_She smiled, "I am leaving as well, I assure you. But you need to go, honey." _

_If I leave, I could find my brother. If I leave, I could enjoy the world, like my mother would want me too._

"_You? Old man. Why now?"_

"_What?"_

"_I mean can't you do this tomorrow? Why now?"_

"_Because your father…. he just….he's changing and it's not good for you." _

"_Well thanks for looking out for me!" I said sarcastically, he didn't seem to answering any of my questions._ "_Baby, you will thank us. But now you have to leave!" She said once more, this time forcefully._

_I guess, if they are this persistent then…. there must be a good reason. _

"_Will you come find me when you leave?" I asked, finally getting on the boat. _

"_Of course, find Iroh and you'll find me." _

"_I'll miss you."_

"_I'll miss you too, baby."_

"_Kahea, one more thing. You'll need a new identity, so he can't find you."_

"_Ok?" A new identity, wow, this must be pretty serious._

"_Your new name is Jasmine, Jasmine of the Kogo family. Originally from the Earth Kingdom. And this is something a friend of mine created-"he handed me a beautiful necklace, "-it will hide what you look like from other people. There's a manual that goes with it. Understand?"_

"_Understood" A manual? Really guys? The man brought the anchor up and we started drifting away from the shore._ "_Bye." I said once we finally started to pick up speed. I looked at them until they turned into little specks on the oceans dock. _

_The captain asked me where I wanted to go. _

"_The Southern Water Tribe, please." I always wanted to see where my mother grew up._

"Hey! Wake up!" he said. My eyes reluctantly opened, and I was faced with a soldier.

"It's time for you to get up and face the music, pretty girl." Ah, pretty girl, funny….

I pulled the covers over my head, indicating to him to go home.

"Is she up yet, Shin?" it was a deep voice that reverberated throughout the entire room. "No, sir. She doesn't look like she wants to get up." I pulled the covers down a bit, showing the soldier named Shin my eyes, and I winked at him.

He laughed, "Yup, definitely does not want to get up."

I heard a pair of boots clink against the oak floor, and a man appeared in the door. I recognized him as the prince. Prince Zuko.

He looked me over once, "Get up or get out." Then he firmly slammed the door, and Shin exhaled a breath of what I was guessing relief.

Sad, you save the guy's life, and you don't even get to sleep in the next day.

"I'll wait outside, while you…. change." Shin added awkwardly. I looked down at my now upright self. Change into what? I thought to myself.

"Oh, I guess you don't have any clothes… Right, come on then." He said pulling my arm, and I followed him out into the hallway where a whole pack of guards all 'conveniently' assembled to 'escort' me to the meeting room.

We walked around another corridor, and another hallway, out of a door, into a door. It seemed that I wasn't welcomed here, even though I did save the Prince's life.

Turning down a lighted hallway I got lost in my thoughts.

_Someone screamed and I looked around, so sure that he had found me._

"_The Prince! He's falling!" looking up I saw the prince grab on to the tile of the roof, but it crumbled under his touch._

_A huge rush of emotions hit me like a speeding train, and fear was part of this color wheel. Still yet, no one made a move to help him. Their beloved prince, was falling from the sky and no one was doing anything. _

_I felt recognition, I didn't know if it was my own or someone who was passing by but I recognized this part in the play. I was in that same position, although I don't remember it I do recall the papers talking about how I was saved._

_Saved. This man needed to be saved._

_Scrambling to my feet I started moving towards the Palace, rushing past the people standing in the middle of the street watching the man fall from the sky. Running faster I could see his bodice getting closer to the ground and I did the only thing I thought I could do._

_I jumped on top of a fireworks station and brought my knees up to my chest and shot in the sky, rocketing towards him. I felt the wind and gravity take its toll, but recovered quickly flipping myself in the air and grabbing onto the prince._

_Ugh, he was heavy…_

_I looked down to see a large fountain in the middle of the square. Thinking on adrenaline, I bended as much water I could out of the fountain and up to me- water bending 101._

_It slowed us down forming a bubble around us until we splashed in the fountain, completely unharmed- but that's what I thought. _

_Looking around I couldn't see any one that looked helpful, let alone sober, but I did see a whole lot of people forming a circle around us. I didn't notice till now that the Prince hadn't said a thing the entire time._

_That ungrateful little… You know what? Let's just fix him up and leave._

_That was until I saw he was unconscious- and by my standards healing an unconscious man was a lost cause. _

_He was a big man too, not just tall but wide. His scarred sleeping face was still, and he brought an air of death- unusual amongst Royals or mortals for that matter- but I could see it all over him, like a dark cloak around him. _

_But, he was beautiful, nonetheless. Not by these western standards maybe, but he had the scars of a soldier, and his broad and flat features, like the flatness of his chest or the amber earring he wore on his left ear symbolized the war he's gone through both emotionally and physically. _

_A man may not even notice the attraction of all that muscle or the way heat just morphed off him, but I would bet that he never walked through a room without attracting the gaze of every female there._

_And he was trying to kill himself. That makes absolute sense..._

_The Prince fidgeted in my arms, and I forgot he was still underwater. I bended the water away from his face and he hiccuped coughs of water._

_"I am so sorry," I said softly bringing him upright. His eyes twitched a little like he heard me but they didn't open._

_"Miss! Get away from Prince Zuko," a guard said, startling me. My fingers instinctively tried to form a ball of fire- but I forgot… they could tell something was wrong with me if I did._

_"Miss please, I don't want to hurt you!" another guard said moving into battle position. _

_Hah, like you could hurt me…_

_I didn't want to leave Prince Zuko, but I did a deed for his empire I should go and get out of town…_

_But I didn't. _

The soldiers around me halted at the foot of a very intimidating door, and when I moved past them they started to disperse into their original positions.

Hmm, nice army, my father would be proud…

I stopped in front of the door. The energy from inside hit me like a flying arrow- horror, irritation, love, confusion, calmness were just one of the many.

Taking a deep breath, the Royal Guards opened the door and I was greeted by a familiar voice.

"Jasmine, it has been awhile."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chp. 5**

_**Zuko: **_

She walked like a goddess, one foot in front of the other, hips swaying as if she were dancing. She caught the attention of everyone in the room- even the women. Their mouths agape, and their talking ceased. The only noise that was heard was the footsteps emanating from her bare feet as she was escorted by my guards.

"Jasmine, it has been awhile." Uncle said, lifting his tea cup to his mouth. He was seated at the head of a round table- an improvement made by my uncle- to insure equality.

She gave him a half smile. My mind, as if automatically looking for something to get angry about, couldn't help but notice the way the guards stared at her.

I felt the rush of anger towards my own guards, and as if the girl knew, I saw her eyebrows question me. She blinked and I swear I could see some green in her eyes. Like a streak of green….

"What are you doing here?" My uncle said, filling the silence.

She turned her head towards Uncle as if to say, _you know why. _

"I can't help you anymore." He said grimly, placing his cup on the table, and made his way towards her.

He whispered something in her ear, and her face was so painful that even I had to look away- such devastating beauty, so much sadness behind her eyes.

"What do you mean?" she asked her voice as clear as a bell. A little accent, but it sounded as if she knew all tongues.

_How nice would it be to hear that voice every time you woke up? _A small voice whispered in the back of my head.

Very nice, but yet I have no reason to… no point in liking this girl, who I do not even know and yet I am already convincing myself that I want her.

"She speaks!" Toph said, but sincerely I had forgotten that she was still right next to me.

Jasmine gave Toph a stare so cold, that even though Toph was blind she still looked away.

"No one said that I couldn't. I just chose not to."

"Why?" I heard myself asking.

"Why? Because from the moment I got here, I have been ridiculed, cross-examined, held as a prisoner. Having the ability to speak, and share your opinions is a gift, and you people didn't seem like you wanted it." She was practically pushing past Iroh to attack me, but he said something else in her ear and she shot down in her seat.

"It was protocol-"

"Protocol my ass! You could ha-"

"No I could not because you might have kil-"

"Why would I try to kill you and then save-"

"I don't know! But it is not safe for anyone to be around you-"

"Around me? What about you? You're fricken jumping out of windows and shi-"

"Quiet! You ungrateful peasant girl!"

"Over controlling dictator!" She glared at me and I held it, she was just so….. Unbelievable and not in the good way. Iroh stepped in front of me and I lost eye contact with her.

"Iroh are you sure?" I heard her whisper. Just for saying his name without his title was called for 50 days in prison, but yet no one here seemed to state that fact to her.

"I tried to save him, but he was so stubborn… he just wouldn't take my hand… I'm sorry."

"Fire Lord Iroh, do you mind filling us in here?"

Iroh dismissed Sokka with a wave of his hand and moved to pour her a cup of tea, she denied politely.

"It's a special blend." He said winking at her. She took a sip and smiled that half-smile of hers.

"How long ago?" she asked quietly, taking another deep sip.

"Exactly 7 years on the winter solstice." That would be two weeks from now.

She brought her knees up to her chin and rested it there. Her eyes were far away, and Iroh awkwardly patted her back, trying to comfort her. She was so distraught. I had the urging feeling of holding her tight and telling her that everything was going to be alright, but I shook it off.

"What about my mother. Have you heard from her?" her eyes sprung with hope.

"She's alive, but I lost contact with her after the war ended." I assumed that she was going to be upset or even sadder, but she actually smiled.

"That's good I guess, she's moved on, she's probably happier now."

"Or she's died," Someone said, and Jasmine heard it. So did Uncle.

"I need to talk to Jasmine privately. You may leave." After no one made a move to leave, he added "NOW."

People shuffled to the doorway, startled by Uncle raising his voice. I followed Toph out quietly, not sure if I should go back to sleep or fulfill the mysterious need to comfort Jasmine.

Passing my uncle and Jasmine, I looked up and found Uncle looking straight at me. I stopped.

"Nephew, find The Avatar and tell him that I want to see him after lunch." His voice sounded like he was talking to a little child. Which I was not, but it didn't seem to be the time to argue.

The air was, hectic. The _chi _flowing around us was not healthy.

"Yes Uncle." I did not dare look at Jasmine not sure if I could keep my temper at bay.

I pushed past the door and found Toph and Makoto waiting for me.

Now all I have to do is find the person who was trying to kill me, and then I can go back to sleep.

_**Kahealani:**_

"Well your friends are nice," I remarked, after I finally stopped crying.

"They are usually, I assure you. I don't know what has gotten into them," Iroh said for the hundredth time.

"Oh, I don't know. I save your nephew and now I'm public enemy number one- makes perfect sense to me!"

"They're just a little unnerved, about what's happened. We all are."

"I understand, I guess I'm just too emotional right now…."

"I mean I was taught to show no emotion when faced with death. He said death was natural, that it should be treated as if it was just _one of those things_. But how can I… how can I possibly show no emotion what so ever, when I just found out my father was _murdered._ He may have not been a good man but he was a man, he was human!"

"I know, Kahea. I know." He added quietly before I started into another round of crying. I got up out of Iroh's embrace, sick of feeling so helpless. "I thought…. I mean I had a hunch that I knew he was… dead. A couple years ago, my necklace just fell off, and I had a vision him-" It was in that ridiculous manual, _Thou must feel the pain of others, to fully realize the art of illusion. _"-But it was just so unreal… I just thought it was a nightmare."

"The Whisper of Death is a blessing and a curse onto its self. But I am not sorry that I gave you it, you seem like the only person who can handle its responsibility." I caught the 'you seem' part. I understood his doubt in me. I exhaled and inhaled, but still my voice was shaky.

"To be honest, I am grateful that you did. You gave me something that I never knew I needed: Freedom."

My voice didn't falter when I asked him, "But why?"

"What?" he looked outraged as he accidentally dropped his cup of tea. The grayish juice flowed to the edge of the table and off the edge.

"Iroh, I know the way my life works. Even though you are a very kind man, no one does anything nice for me without wanting something in return." Iroh's auburn eyes met mine in a low gaze.

"Kahealani, how dare you-" his voice was powerful and loud.

"No! I meant that whatever you want me to do I'll do it." He stopped yelling and I went on. "If I had not taken your offer I realize now that I would be dead too. You gave me a life, and in return I owe you."

Iroh's eyes closed gently, "I can't-"

"Yes you can. I'm not leaving till you do, actually that's the reason I came here in the first place, but then you know-" I gestured with my hand to the window, indicating what had happened a few nights ago. Iroh stared out the window as I went to ask one of the servants to get me a rag. When the servant girl came back Iroh had made his decision. "It's either this or I go back into hiding - which is impossible right about now - because I'm sure if you want me to, it can be done."

I sat, my legs neatly tucked under myself, as I wiped up the spill with the experience of working three years at a restaurant in Ba Sing Sei. "I'll make a deal with you. In order to get the other nations off your back, I will personally take care of it. If..."

"If what?"

"If you protect my nephew."

"Your nephew?" But he… he hates me.

"Yes. You two seem to be just what each other need." He said with a smirk.

"You've got to be kidding me. He looked like he wanted to kill me back there." I muttered, picking up the broken tea cup pieces.

"-It would only be till this whole thing blows over. Unless you want back me to go back on my offer?" he said, holding my gaze again. His eyes reminded me of a snowy owls', intelligent and looked as if it could read my mind.

Going back on my offer would mean that coming here was a waste of time. Plus, I owe Iroh my life so does it matter if he wants me to use it to protect his nephew?

"No. I'll do it. Thank you." Iroh grinned ear to ear.

"Great! Now tell me, what have you been doing for the past 8 years?"

_Iroh: _

She didn't know. She didn't know he was not her father. She didn't know he tried to take over the world.

She didn't even know his true intentions for taking her away from the Fire Sages. All she knew was that he was dead. But late at night I have been getting disturbing visions of the Spirit World that seemed to shadow away from my understanding, but it whispered _him. _

Something bad is coming and it's only right to have her close to her origins, so she can gain knowledge and power from it. But still, something is wrong…

The _chi _around The Palace has been quite suffocating.

"Sir, the Fire Sages and The Avatar are here. Do you want me to let them in now?"

"Yes. Thank you, Shin." Avatar Aang sauntered in, kneeling in front of my throne, and the Fire Sages followed suit.

"Thank you for coming so quickly. I have some information that might concern you."

_**Aang: **_

I thought that was just a legend. This girl, Kahealani or Jasmine, she…. She's incredible, and yet she doesn't even know it.

"What are you planning on doing Fire Lord Sir?" The head Fire Sage, Hiro, descendant of the first Fire Sage asked. His voice was strained and hoarse from old age.

"I want her to learn of her origins gradually-" Iroh seemed to be thinking aloud again, "-That necklace is the only thing holding her back from her true power, but without learning where she got it from she could possibly be dangerous-" he looked up like he forgot we were there, "-But I will worry about that, what I need all of you to do is to watch over her. Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble."

Easy enough… "What about Zuko? Are you going to tell him?" I asked, since she was going to become his bodyguard and all.

He pondered my question for a while, "Not just yet. The Spirit's tell me they both have a long and strenuous journey ahead of them but they must stick together. Telling him this, he might get intimidated and then putting them together will be useless."

"Like the story goes," a fire sage muttered. I wonder which story he could be talking about.

"Therefore, for the sake of Fire Prince Zuko's safety, our most trusted Fire Sage will pose as another guard of his and watch them eer… I mean her more carefully."

What was that slip up supposed to mean?

"Do you accept this mission Avatar Aang?" I looked up at him from where I was seated, considering the circumstances watching her might be fun, she seems…. Spirited enough.

"I accept."

"Great! I want you to meet our new and trusted Fire Sage Priestess-" A girl with long black hair and a tattoo of a serpent on her arm, maybe 20 or so, strolled up to me, extending her hand she said "Well, well if it isn't the Avatar? It's been awhile."

_Well if it isn't June. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chp 6.**

_Hours before…_

Anonymous P.O.V. :

Closing the door she sat on the floor board. Mismatched pieces of paper and globs of dried glue sat on the floor alongside her. A lighted candle burned with the hot intensity of her hope. As she hoped that her loved one would come back to her.

Grabbing her book she looked at the enchantment's ingredient mixture.

_A hair of she/he's relative _

Using the hair she had managed to get earlier, she set it in the circle, under the pile of earth and above the bowl of rice.

Looking down she found that all she was missing was the main element: The blood of a demon

"Argh!" she shoved the book onto the ground, in result making the lock of hair shift slightly out of the circles radius. But she didn't notice. She stomped her way past the witchcraft, thinking that she shouldn't have trusted that blasted lady seated at the foot of the black market.

Everything was in her reach. Food. Money. A respectable husband. More Money.

Yet the thing she wanted most was out of her reach. All because of one simple predicament, but that wasn't going to stop her.

If all she needed was the blood of a Demon. She was going to get one.

She looked out of her window directing her gaze to the full moon. During fall, the moon hinted the color red, the color of blood. Farmers called it the harvest moon, because it would be the best time to grow their crops. But her, she called it the scarlet moon, the moon that would bring her hope, the moon that would get her demon.

"Priestess," Hiro called her from outside the door. "Priestess, it is time for you to see Fire Lord Iroh."

"I am coming."

Yes, she thought, I am coming my love- one way or another.

_Kahealani:_

Walking outside to the patio I sat on the edge of the railing, and waited for Iroh to finish his second meeting with the Prince of hatred. Already I've gotten stern looks from his friends and been spit on by a lemur. Yea, I'm guessing they don't like me either…

"Miss," a deep voice rumbled behind me. I turned around and found a young man covered in vibrant orange and red fabric. His entire body was something a sculpture would envy- chiseled face and defined muscles that showed everything even underneath all that cloth.

"I'm Aa-" he started but I cut him off, wanting to get as far away from him as I could- as politely as I could. They may not like me, but like hell I was going to be the one to give in first.

"I know who you are." As in the man who killed my father? Yes I know you just fine…

"Oh, right… Avatar…. Have to remember that." he muttered, rubbing the back his neck. I concentrated hard on my breathing, trying to keep myself calm.

"What do you want?" I sighed, he looked maybe my age? And he killed my father that was what? A middle-aged man? Just breathe Kahea….. In and Out…

"I wanted to say… sorry." I met his grayish-charcoal eyes. "Sorry?" I asked taking a deep breath. I smelt… his aftershave, but he was drenched with irritation.

"Yes. I. Am. Sorry. But I did it for the greater good-" No… No… Kahea Breathe… Don't let his irritation mix in with your own…

Throughout all his talking, and trust me this boy liked to talk _a lot_, all I seemed to hear was, "-he was an evil man, Kahea."

"JUST…. Just STOP! Stop talking so much-" I stalked towards him and he unconsciously moved back, until I had him up against a wall, "-stop trying to talk to me like I'm some petulant child! Let me tell you something, Avatar. _I. Know. My. Father._ But even if he did go insane is it still humane for you to _murder him-"_ he stared straight at me like I wasn't even there and it irked me even more "-You sparred Ozai, why couldn't you spar my father!"

"Your father? Who is your father?" I think my head just exploded…

"You… I can't even… are you that dense-" I stuttered, trying to regain my balance.

"I was apologizing for this morning… what are you talking about? I haven't killed anyone!" Now he was angry, he pushed himself off the wall, and we stared at each other head-to-head…well more like head-to-shoulder.

"I am a humble monk. I have murdered no one!"

_Zuko:_

I looked for Jasmine, to smooth over the rough patches we have in the short time I've met her I told myself. I found her standing outside on the patio with Aang.

What is he doing here?

She shook her black hair, reminding me of a sea-hawks talons flowing in the wind when searching for prey.

She was like a sea-hawk in some ways- brilliant eyed, hot tempered, a wild animal both wounded and vicious.

I walked carefully towards them and decided, over my better judgment, to hide behind the flowing curtains which also gave me the perfect spot to hear exactly what they were saying.

"You don't even remember do you?" she asked, her face was beat-red and her eyes were the darkest blue I've ever seen.

"I swear on Agni's word that I have killed no one!" Aang's voice was as stern as his posture. She turned out towards the edge of patio and held onto the railing like it was the only thing keeping her from staying on the ground.

"He was a General. He went to the North Pole and used the Moon spirit to his advantage."

"You mean... That your _father… is General Zhao?" _

_Aang:_

Iroh told me nothing of this. Why didn't he warn me?

Kahea turned around, and held her head high. "Yes, and you killed him." Her eyes were a deep blue that held sadness beyond compare. But, she looked nothing like him.

_Adopted? _Right, like the Monks and I- a family of strangers, but that didn't matter, we were still family.

She stared at me and I stared back. She did look like him in some ways I guess; they had the same regal stance and arrogant demeanor.

"I didn't kill him though… I mean-"I tried to sort out what had happened that night, but it was all just a blur "-back then I couldn't control the Avatar State like I can now. It just took over." My whole way of life, the whole reason why I didn't kill Ozai was because it was immoral. But now, I don't even know what… I dishonored my religion; I disrespected my elders and my entire way of life.

"You think you're so damn powerful?" she remarked moving past me, but I caught her by her arm.

"No, I don't. I believe… I _know _what I did was wrong, but Kahea there is nothing I can do about that now. I would tell you I'm sorry, but I know you don't believe me-"she tried to wiggle out of my grasp but I wouldn't let go "-and that's okay, for now. Though, we are going to work this out one way or another."

She turned her head towards mine and I was met with a cold glassy stare of her almost-black eyes, "You mean before or after you decide to kill me too, Avatar."

_Zuko: _

Zhao's dead? I suspected but, was that what they were talking about this morning?

She's Zhao's daughter.

Zhao's daughter…. My worst enemy's daughter…

"You mean before or after you decide to kill me too, Avatar." Her voice was strikingly flat and her expression-filled eyes were as dark as the night sky. I shivered, she was… almost scary- I mean for a little girl, she was… intense.

And coming from me that means something.

"Hello." I said when I reached a good enough space between the two of them- so that I still had the upper advantage and yet could still be heard.

They both whipped around and I saw Aang let go of her arm. "What?" it was Aang who addressed me first.

"I need her for a second. Commander wants to talk with you about training." I looked at her and only her, not feeling the pulsing glare I got from Aang as he realized that I must have been there the entire time.

"Ok, let's go." She looked almost relieved as she rushed towards me. We started to walk away, until Aang called out, "I'll be seeing you again, _Jasmine." _Out of the corner of my eye I saw her wipe something from her face.

I felt a flash of anger towards him that I could barely see straight. She's crying. But I shouldn't care right? She's just a girl.

But, she's _my _girl, a voice whispered in my head.

"_Are you okay?"_ My voice was frighteningly retrained; taking my anger towards Aang out on her would just scare her even more.

She looked at me startled, "Just fine, I mean don't I look it?" Her face was stained with tears as she tried to give a condescending smile, and there was a bruise on her left arm. The same place where Aang had touched her…

I am going to kill him.

She sighed unsteadily, "Can I ask you something?"

Surprised I answered, "Fine."

"Can we …. Start over? Let's just forget what I did this morning." she sounded exasperated.

"-I mean I guess I'm going to be here a while and I don't want everyone hating me," she continued.

"I know what you mean." I muttered, thinking of my own situation.

"Is that alright with you?" I looked at her eyes; I just couldn't keep my own off hers. She looked so innocent in that second.

I stopped in my tracks and glared. She stopped in her own and her big eyes, seemed to get bigger.

I put my hand out, "Fire Prince Zuko. Thank you for saving my life."

She smirked that half-smile of hers and grabbed my un-gloved hand, "Jasmin- I mean Kahealani, but everyone just calls me Kahea." I felt that odd magnetic urge to make even more contact with her skin, but I shook it off.

Her hands weren't cursed like the others, being touched by her felt like something that I wanted to feel, but something that I won't even admit to myself… that I needed.

During this morning meetings' all I could think about was what she did or was doing to make her hands the way they were.

But something I've noticed was that it was almost a small dulling pain to be without contact from her for a long time. It was like a dose of a drug that I was having withdrawal from.

"Nice to meet you,"

_Kahea: _

He held onto my hand for an awkward amount of time, but I didn't care. His touch was nice. It felt so _familiar. _It was warm and comforting; his hand was callused from years of battle and handy-work. I had the strangest urge to pull up his sleeves and fell more of him…. weird… Though, he was _extremely_ handsome but, I don't even know him.

"There you two are, I've been looking everywhere!" A middle-aged man, in Fire-nation armor, walked up to us, and Zuko let go putting his hand behind his back. I mean not that I was looking at his backside or anything…

"Eer… Commander Wang. Wang this is Jasmin- I mean Kahealani."

"Nice to meet you," I said, politely.

"Wow, aren't you a looker! Haha, well you seem to be…. fit for the training I'm going to put you through." He said with a wrinkly smile, that reminded me of that old servant from home, he who seemed to take care of me more than my actual family did.

_I wonder how he's doing? _Maybe I should go back to the island, now that there are no more _threats._ I wonder if bodyguards get vacations….

"Fire Prince Zuko, was my apprentice at one point you know?" Commander Wang, but as he wanted everyone to call him- Wang - informed me when Zuko and I started to eat lunch in the private corridors of his office.

"Really, because I'm trying to imagine that in my head and I'm having a really hard time." I told him truthfully. Wang was a carefree man and Zuko… well he was very…stringent.

"Well believe it! Prince Zuko, my crew, and I scoured the entire Earth Kingdom looking for…" Wang said, his voice dying as he got to the end of his sentence.

"What did you look for? Buried Treasure?" I joked, but no one was laughing.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I looked Zuko's way to ask him what happened, but once I found those golden hued eyes -red and tired, fringed with jet black lashes it took my breath away.

It was like seeing an angel cry. The saddest thing you have ever seen but still you can't look away. He looked very, noble. His face was chiseled and I remembered his high cheekbones and alabaster skin. But now as he was hunched over his bowl of Gook he looked bigger than I remember.

"We were looking for my mother." Your mother?

"What happened to her?" I asked, knowing all to well of runaway mothers and trying to get them back.

"My father banished her after she murdered my grandfather to protect my livelihood."

"Oh," was all I could muster.

Good going Kahea…. Now why don't you shove his head in his meal and kick his dog while you're at it? Well first I would have to find out if he has a dog….

"Did you find her?" I asked, but then decided to shut my mouth with Gook. You are digging a very deep hole Kahea… Very Deep.

But Zuko surprised me and smiled. Well, almost smiled- it was like his mouth was twitching as he answered me with a small "Not yet."

I liked that he was determined. He was very inspirational; I guess the word would be.

"Well Wang, when are we going to start this so called training?"

"Does now sound good?" he asked as I washed my bowl into the sink.

"Do you need me, Zuko?" I asked, putting my dish in the pile of wet plates. He looked astonished, but shook his head I guess clearing some thought. "No I am fine. Go ahead."

"Good Good. Let's go!" Wang said, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me away from the dirty dishes.

"Wait- I'm not done."

"That is what servants are for Kahea, now come on!"

Do you like my mysterious character? I'll give you a cookie if you can figure who it is!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chp. 7**

"Concentrate Kahea," Wang said for the thousandth time. I exhaled and inhaled once more.

My feet were planted to the ground, as I stared out to the horizon.

He had me on the frame of a waterfall. I was one slip off the narrow boulder away from falling off the edge.

"Now try again."

I squatted and maneuvered my hands on the sides of my feet. Once I was sure, they wouldn't slip, I shifted my weight onto my hands.

"Now lift." He commanded.

I did just that, I lifted myself into a handstand. The rocks natural edges cut into my palm, and I whimpered.

"Pain is an illusion, Kahea. Once you realize this, the easier it will become." He yelled.

"I like my illusions, Wang. Pain is nice, keeps me from oh-I-don't-know sticking my hand in a lemurs mouth or falling off the edge of a waterfall." I yelled back over the roar of rushing water.

I could barely hear his chuckle over the water. "Oh I think I like you, Kahea."

My sweat started to form on my face, and I inhaled. "We've been up here for hours, not that I don't like hanging with you. But, Zuko has an outing I need to attend."

"You can let go now." He replied, and I let the ten-pound weights hanging on my feet, fall into the water, as I became upright.

I exhaled, and watched the sun rise even further into the sky.

"Your first outing with him I presume?" Wang asked, once I got back onto solid ground.

"Yes sir." I walked side-by-side with Wang, both hands behind my back. It had been almost two weeks after I saved Zuko. Wang has been relentless ever since I got here. Practice and protocol everyday, all day long. He explained to me that I had a lot to learn, in a short amount of time. Most men have years of training before they enter the Royal Palace, and even then, they're not as highly ranked as I am going to become.

But, I'm a fast learner. And with my 'background' and 'abilities', I guess I have a lot more practice in hurting people than most.

"Wang?" I said all of a sudden.

"Yes, Kahea."

"Do you think I'm ready? I mean I've never really _protected _someone before, just the opposite actually." I muttered.

"Do you still view yourself as a weapon, Kahea?" I gasped, surprised. No one was supposed to know that…

"H-how did you know about that?"

"Fire Lord Iroh." He said simply, and I just shook my head. It was somewhat nice to have at least _someone _know about my past. We kept walking in silence, until we reached the inner part of the Royal community.

"If I was to become your Sifu, Kahea. I need to know everything, and everything means _everything." _He said, facing me – wiggling his eyebrows.

I laughed quietly, as we passed a high-strung merchant selling cabbage.

"But to answer you're question. If you think you're ready, then I think you're ready."

"Thanks, Sifu Wang." I called him Sifu, out of respect. Because he was my teacher, and he really did understand me – which I needed.

We made our way into the Royal Palace, and were greeted by several other guards.

They approached us, and Wang made a motion for me to stop.

There were at least three of them. But they were all large, muscled, and scarred. They walked in a pack, one in the front and the two others dragging in the back.

"Kahea, these are Prince Zuko's regular detail." I nodded in acknowledgment, and smiled at them.

They looked taken back for a second, but recovered themselves. And Wang just chuckled.

"This is Rei, Prince Zuko's one-and-only outer detail." He pointed at the leader of the pack. He was probably the largest – as in bulky muscle – he grabbed my hand to shake and could crush it in proximity alone. "Hello," I said firmly. His eyes and skin were a light brown and two scars ran across his left eye, like long slanted scratches. He looked to be the same age as Wang.

"Nice to meet you," He let go of my hand. His voice was rough and short – his sentence hung in the air as if he didn't quite understand what it meant. He had an accent that sounded familiar.

"Rei is from the outer islands of the Fire Nation, so this isn't his first language." Wang said, as if he noticed my confusion.

Rei half-smiled like he was sorry, "Desculpem afalta de comunicação."

I smiled, memories of the island my family and I used to vacation all of the time, filling my head.

"Não se preocupe. Eu acho que nós vamos ter diversão de falar quando ninguém entende, não é?" I said, winking. _Don't worry. I think we'll have fun talking when no one understands, don't you?_

He laughed, whole-heartedly. "Oh, eu acho que nós vamos, Kahealani. Acho que vamos." _Oh I think we will, Kahealani. I think we will. _

Rei stepped aside, and I was introduced to the two other men. "This is Yu and I think you've already met Shin." I nodded and smiled. "Shin is Prince Zuko inner detail, while Yu is the secondary guard for them."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. But one of the men spoke ending my confusion once again, "Meaning that whenever one of them gets too drunk and call in 'sick', which they always do. I'm the guy to call." His voice was monotone and sarcastic. Sort of reminded me of Zuko.

His skin was as alabaster as Zuko's too, but he had a scar running from his ear to the tip of his chin instead. He looked about Zuko's age, maybe a little bit more.

"I'm Yu, and I know it will be a pleasure to work with you." He winked, at his lame play on words – but I laughed anyway. I liked lame jokes.

"And I met you awhile ago, I'm Shin." The other man finally said. He was probably the smallest and youngest of them all – but he was tall, almost as tall as Zuko, and looked to be almost as young as I was. His skin was as tanned as mine was, and his eyes were a light green. No scar though, that surprised me. I thought it was a running trend.

"It is very nice to meet all of you." I said, smiling politely.

"Well I'll just leave you in their capable hands." Wang said, waving goodbye.

"So?" Shin started, as we walked towards the outside – towards the spot where we were to meet Zuko.

"So…" I replied, looking up at Shin.

"You know you look prettier than you do in the papers?" He blurted out, and the other men sniffled a laugh.

"What papers?"

"Uhm… all of them. You're the talk of all the four nations. They call you the Dragon-Catcher." I stopped in my tracks. _The whole world knew about me? About my past? Oh no…_

_Dragon-Catcher. That's what they called me. When I fell from the sky, now it's happening all over again. _

They stopped too, "You didn't know?"

I shook my head, "I've been training my ass off since I got here. I haven't even seen Zuko, since then."

"Oh well, now you know." Shin said, trying to smooth things over. "Weird name too, they said when you leapt off that fireworks stand – people imagined it was a dragon – but when you came down, they figured out it was you instead." I exhaled; _Oh it's just that…_

Relieved, I started walking again. "They were probably so drunk they could have seen anything." I replied, and the boys laughed – happy that the awkward moment was over.

"So can we ask you something?" Shin asked, again raising my guard.

"Shoot." I said, nonchalantly- even though I was the exact opposite.

"What did it feel like? How'd you do it? Why'd you do it? Did it even hurt? You think you can teach me that, too?" They shot questions at me, right from left, like arrows. And I just laughed.

They questioned me all the way to the training arena, and I answered them the best as I could.

"It felt like I was flying. I'm not too sure, how I did it; I just did it you know? Oh yea I still hurt man. And sure, I guess I could teach you guys."

We walked down the stairs, stopping at the foot of the arena. The grass had been burnt beyond recognition. Black scratches and burnouts were tattered across the field.

Zuko and a woman were sparring right in the middle of it all – where most of the grass was burnt. He had his shirt off, and _oh did he look good… _

Ahh, stop that… Bad, Bad Kahea…

The guys stood at the edge of the field, and I followed suit.

I stared out and caught Zuko off-guard. He looked at me and in a split-second, the woman swept her leg under him and he fell to the ground.

The woman laughed at her opponent. Her laugh was condescending as she swung her hair to the left – looking at her opponent with both eyes. "Better luck next time hmm, Zuzu?" she said, loud enough for us to hear.

He laughed as well, shaking it off. "Next time for sure. You won't have the same upper advantages as you do now though." He got up slowly, before one of the other palace guards came and held him up right. But, he refused of course.

"TENGOKU! Get over here now!" She hollered, and Shin next to me flinched.

"Wow, what's her problem?" I whispered, as a petite girl came running up behind me, knocking me slightly. She looked back at me – her intense eyes were as green as envy – and sneered.

I did everything in my power not to punch her out.

"That's Tengoku. She is June's bitch if anything. Don't mind her – I would be mad too, if I were in her position." He whispered as June continued yelling, throwing a towel in Tengoku's direction.

"Who's June?"

"The girl that knocked Zuko on his ass, a few seconds ago. She's bounty-hunter turned Zuko's detail. She's going to be working with Rei as outer detail." Yu informed me. I nodded in response.

"Huh, I guess this job must pay a hell of a lot better." I muttered. Zuko bowed to June, and we started walking towards him.

Shin and Yu – at the front of the pack, while I tagged along side Rei, who was scoping out the palace, even though his shift didn't start until sundown. He told me it was habit of all things. He was accompanying me – teaching me the route, the routine – while Shin and Yu actually kept guard.

"Now go get me a _real_ towel, it's extremely hot outside." Tengoku ran back from once she came – not even glancing up as she went.

I instantly felt bad.

We finally reached them, and my heart seemed to skip a beat. I don't know why but it did.

Maybe I was getting sick, or maybe it was the way sweat glisten of Zuko's chest….

Yes, I must be ill.

June looked at the guys, and then rested her eyes on me. She made my skin crawl; the air around her was haughty and sarcastic. But there was something else – something I couldn't quite put my finger on...

"Who's this?" she asked to no one in particular. Her gaze went up and down me, leaving no spot unchecked – I felt violated.

"Her name is Kahealani." Zuko said, giving me goose bumps. I never heard him say my name before – with such assurance - it felt nice.

"Kahealani hmm? What kind of name is that?"

"My name. I think we've been over this already…"

Her eyes widened to the sound of my voice, she tilted her head – "What's your family's name, Kahealani?"

"Ryuu of the Fire Nation." I responded immediately. Everyone stiffened, except June.

"Ahh, I thought that sounded familiar. Zhao was a client of my fathers back in the day." She said tilting her hair back so I could see her face, and I finally got it – she smelt of familiarity.

"MEI FEN!" I said, smiling. I jumped up to hug her, and she caught me. "How are you?"

"I'm good Kahea. But please you call me that again, and I will have to murder you." I pulled back and gave her a serious look.

But, we just laughed it off.

"Mei Fen?" Zuko's deep voice interrupting our reunion.

June slapped my head, "See look what you did."

"None of you repeat that if you have any value in my livelihood." I said, rubbing the top of my head.

_**  
><strong>Aang:

I woke up with a warm presence in my bed. I didn't have to open my eyes to know who it was.

"Morning, crazy." She muttered - I pulled her towards me with unnecessary power.

I opened my eyes and saw the sky, my room was on the outskirts of the Palace. It had it's own entrance with it's own design - my room didn't look like any other rooms in the Palace, it was designed just for me - it was open and spacious, with no ceiling to hide me in - it even had its own pathway towards the ocean.

I could feel the hot sun on my skin - and a pounding headache entering my temples. "Sh-way am Icrazy all of a sudden?" I closed my eyes, again.

She chuckled, "You drank the whole bottle of Fire Whiskey last night. Without me, might I add."

"That's not crazy. That's routine, kid." I let go of her and rolled over.

I could feel her get off the bed, but didn't move.

"I have to get back to town, I'll see you soon." Kia whispered in my ear. She snapped her fingers.

I opened my eyes. She was kneeling beside my bed, right in front of my face. Her hair hung in the air between us - it was long and brown - just the way I liked it.

Her eyes were a light blue and could mistakenly be called gray, but it matched well with her brown-tanned skin.

She kissed me goodbye, but I barely kissed back. I heard her slam the door, and I sighed.

She looked so much like...

I shook my head. Her name wasn't spoken much around me anymore. Ever since she broke up with me - I haven't seen her much either.

A meeting here. A lunch there. But, the last time I saw her was when we were interrogating Jasmine. Or Kahealani, I guess.

I rubbed my bald head. _Kahealani. _

Well she was... hot-headed to say the least.

Iroh informed me of her true origin. She's half-human half-dragon half-waterbender.

I'm not sure how that happened, but it did. Iroh told us that she didn't even know she was half-dragon.

She did know however of her powers: Half-waterbender Half-firebender.

Something more rare and dangerous than anything we've ever encountered.

And she hated me.

If there's anything, I know about dragons, it is: _never _get them mad.

But, then again, maybe I could use that to my advantage.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Aang, it's Zuko." he hollered and I rolled off the bed. Running into the next room, I tried to put clothes on. I pulled my robes from off the floor, underneath were Kia's.

Ugh, she must have left it here. There were scattered all over the floor, I airbended them out the window.

"Hey buddy. How are you feeling?" I said breathlessly, opening up the door finally.

Zuko looked taken back. Someone chuckled beside him; I looked down and found Kahea and his other detail.

"Err...Why are you wearing makeup?" I ran my hands over my face, pulling my hands back - there was lipstick on my lips and blush on my cheeks.

Damn you Kia.

"Uhmm...long night?" I answered half-ass. But Zuko nodded his head, like he knew all to well of _those_ long nights.

"What do you need?" I asked.

"Err.. You're company. I'm going into town - thought we could talk about somethings."

I nodded. "Let me just 'freshen up'." I joked, and Zuko chuckled a reply - before coughing rashly.

"We'll meet you down the path." He said in-between coughs. I nodded.

Kahea:

We made our way into town, slowly. I had to hold Zuko upright most of the way - especially when he refused the guards to do it for me.

Every time he breathed, more weight came down on me. But, it was the first day on the job I couldn't wimp out now.

Once into town, people bombarded us - asking for autographs, yelling, wanting a kiss, a hug, screaming their names.

AVATAR AANG

PRINCE ZUKO

WE LOVE YOU! TAKE OFF YOUR PANTS!

I shook my head, watching Zuko's face turn red.

"Is it like that where ever you go?" I whispered as we got crushed together. It was protocol - The Mob Crush - Rei and June in front, Yu and Shin on either side of them, and me in the back.

But, since I was stuck carrying Zuko - Yu took the backseat.

He chuckled quietly, only something I could hear over the screaming. "Not all the time. Sometimes they'll throw pants _at me_, instead of asking for it so politely."

I laughed too, as we reached our destination. Rei told me it was Zuko's favorite Tea Shop - The Jasmine Dragon. Aang, who had given me funny-looks all morning - which I shrugged off, I could careless what he thinks - held the door open for us. I motioned to go inside, but Zuko squeezed my waist - a spot where his hand had left goose bumps entirely throughout my body - and I looked up surprised.

"I do not know if you have been told but since you're going to be with Rei - the outside detail stay _outside_." He said, and I rolled my eyes.

"I know that, but you sure you don't need help to your seat?" He shook his head. I let go instantly and he stumbled to the ground, before I caught him.

"So you were saying?" Putting his arm around my shoulders, he rolled his eyes as I carried the rest of him into the teashop.

Zuko:

Two weeks since I have not seen her. It felt wrong. I do not know why, but it did.

Not having her near me, felt weird. But, I shook it off - I was not supposed to feel like that for someone I did not even know.

But, the moment I saw her on the field - her blue eyes tired and exhilarated at the same time...

I was caught off guard. And I got taken down. By June, or Mei Fen...

Uncle made her one of my guards for some reason I forget...

'So Kahea doesn't feel so out of place.'

'Plus, June is more than qualified.' I think he said.

"So what do you want to talk about, Zuko?" Aang asked, semi-irritated as he sipped his tea.

I slipped out of my revere, glad that Kahea was with Rei or my focus would be otherwise occupied.

"Katara." His hand flickered for a second.

"What about her?"

What could I say to make him feel better? I did not have the best record of accomplishment for my warm-&-fuzzy side.

So I went with what I know best.

"You need to get her back." He looked at me finally. For a split-second, I could see the glowing blue in his eyes before they went back to normal.

"It's a lost cause, Zuko. I messed up - bad."

He slouched in his seat even more. Hope lost in his wandering eyes.

I do not like to see my friends look like that. It reminded me too much of myself.

I slammed my fist against the table, "This world was a lost cause - and you cleaned it up, well. And you found love on the way. So you messed up? You can win her back. But, you need to do it - or else your opportunity will be lost, Aang."

He looked at me, absorbing what I had just said. "Since when did you become Cupid?"

"Since I found out that the only people in the world who are meant for each other more than anything, aren't together."

"AVATAR! WE LOVE YOU!" People from outside yelled, slamming against the walls.

"Love you too..." His voice drifted off, as he smiled at the crowd.

"Zuko I don't even know the first thing-"

"Just like you didn't know about being an Avatar?" I drank my tea.

"But, that's not very fai-"

"Life's not fair."

"What about Kai?" he asked, like I was supposed to know...

"Whom?" He shook his head, catching himself.

"Never mind. I'll figure it out - is there anything else?" He asked. His voice happier now than when we first walked into the teashop.

"I was thinking maybe - to lift your spirits of course - you might want to help with the 'initiation'?" I sipped my tea, again - a smirk playing on my lips.

"Sounds great." He said, with a devilish smile I've only seen a handful of times.

Kahea:

They screamed and hollered at me to move.

"A bit aggressive aren't they?" I said over the ear-piercing fans.

"Oh yes, this isn't even the half of it." Shin said, pushing another girl away from the door.

"They've been in there awhile, haven't they?" I tried to look into the open window, but another fan tried to fling her friend inside of it.

"ZUKOO!" she cried.

I grabbed her waist, and placed her back on the ground. "Next time, honey." Her small demeanor made her look even sadder as she walked away.

"Really? Want to go check up on them?" Yu asked, making his way to take over my spot.

"More than anything…"

I opened up the door and made my way to the back. They had made reservations to be placed in a closed room on the left-side of the shop.

I found the door and opened it, not expecting the things I found in that room…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chp. 8**

Kahea entered the room only to find no one in it. She quickly ran to the waiter cleaning the tables in the front, pulling him around to face her she directed: "Where have they gone?"

The boy, mere inches and years shorter than her, gulped obviously frightened by such an intense presence. "I-I don't know. They said to leave them alone in the room and when I came back with more tea, they were gone. Please don't hurt me." He brought up his arms to cover his face.

She scoffed and let him go. She looked down at her necklace – The Whisper of Death – and pulled off her, so she could fully access her 'abilities'.

She closed her eyes and inhaled only to open them again. The aura in the room showed that there was no sign of a struggle. It hung in the air like a stream of light. Zuko's she had already guessed was the gold strand making its way out the window. And the Avatar?

She hadn't thought of the Avatar in the rush of it all. Her only concern was Zuko. Professionally or not…

"Where are they?" June called from the window that Zuko's light was shimmering through. Kahea guessed June was surveying the perimeter like she was supposed too.

_How did they get past her without her noticing? _Kahea thought, sinking deeper into her protocol training memories.

"They left without us." She said, plopping herself down on one of the chairs. Her hand came down on the table only to grab the edge. The faintest shimmer fell throughout her body. She was changing back.

_Damn it. _She thought, while trying to control the transformation. No one knew. Except for June and Iroh, no one had seen what she looked like in her true form. Sure, the necklace let people see her soul through her eyes – but she was sure that no one tried to look at her, you know, _like that. _

_I don't think now would be the best time to 'unleash' myself on them just yet. _She thought, looking around the room for a strand of energy that might look like it belonged to the Avatar.

_His is probably the brightest one out of all of them, _she thought, _since he is the bridge to the Spirit World and all. _

She walked back towards the front of the restaurant.

Auras. The external energy from your Spirit. They follow their owners forever, but once the owner has left a place, its aura can stay in that place for long periods - depending on the presence.

But the thing with auras is that - they eventually fade.

_I need to find them fast. _

June jumped through the window landing gracefully on the table, scaring the waiter to death when she decided winking at him was necessary. June followed Kahea out of the room and into the rest of the restaurant. The other guards were already in the restaurant cross-examining workers and customers.

_I've found you. _She thought, immediately recognizing the Avatar's aura – it was a glowing blue – not as bright as she expected it, although it still looked exceeding out of place with the common auras around her.

_He probably has some heartbreak going on or something… _She thought entirely aloof, even though she tried her hardest not to think about it as she ran out of the restaurant with the other guards and June in tow – she felt _bad _for him.

She quickly shook her head. Bypassing the fan girls, the guards yelled at her.

"Kahea where are you going?" Shin yelled and it seemed like everyone stopped – even her.

They were at the foot of the Fire Nation Marketplace, places were slums and royals alike interacted peacefully, happily sharing in the latest gossips and prices. It was always overcrowded.

Her head hurt with the emotions and auras piercing at her like poison arrows, but that's not what made her stop.

"Your Jasmine? The Dragon Catcher? Oh Agni! It is you is it not?" A woman dressed in royals gear – long flowing dresses with servants at her shoulder – the basic apparel.

"Uh-no no it's not. You've got me mistaken." But even with her pleas, they didn't seem to hear it.

"I remember you! I was standing next to you when you saved the Fire Prince!"

"You look just like your drawings in the paper!"

People erupted in cheers and clapping, they all yelled at her, and she did everything in her power not to break down.

_Get Zuko and Avatar. Then never come back here, ever. _

The guards stopped a few steps behind her, not sure how to handle the situation.

"We should protect her." Rei said, moving towards Kahea before Shin stopped him.

"Look at her! She's having the time of her life over there, with all those fans! She's having her fifteen minutes of fame, let her milk it a bit ah?" He suggested, elbowing June in the shoulder.

She just looked at him with utter repulsion. She scoffed. "We need to find Zuko and the Avatar. Kahea can 'milk whatever it is' later."

Yu stood on the other side of her, snickering a bit. "You mean no one told you?"

June inclined her head towards him, looking just as interested as she would be if she were died.

"Err… Well it's a test, an initiation if you will. We just needed to see if she could handle it or not. I mean she is a girl and everything…" June's eyeballs seemed to pop out of her skull.

She shook her head, looking at Kahea – who was being bombarded by commoners.

"You mean no one told _you?_" June asked the three boys, backing away from them walking backwards towards Kahea.

Confusion etched on their faces, except for Rei – he seemed not to be hearing the entire conversation. "What?"

"This _girl_ has killed and slaughtered more criminals than the Fire Lord's army ever could. Once she hears about this 'initiation'-" she scoffed, pretending to look sorry for the boys. "Well I hope none of you planned on living a nice long and happy life, ah?" She turned around and left the boys in her dust.

June knew very well that Kahea would never go back to that lifestyle in a million years, but she was sure that they didn't – and never will question her about it, _ever._

June touched Kahea's shoulder, and Kahea almost jumped out of her skin. "It's just me." She said, pulling Kahea out of the middle of the crowd, forcefully.

Kahea's head was directed to the ground but June knew that she was worn and frightened; June pulled a cloak out of one of the venders. She directed the common people of the fire nation marketplace to leave now or go to hell.

They left.

Kahea was shaking, sweat furrowing her brow. "Kahea what's wrong?"

June placed her on the edge of a water fountain, draping the cloak around her shoulders.

Kahea inhaled once and looked up – June didn't look shocked. She never did.

Kahea's physical appearance didn't change all that much. Yet.

But June knew exactly what Kahea looked like without the necklace.

The necklace. That's what she was doing. She was trying to focus on not changing.

"But why?" June asked Kahea, watching the guards walk up to them probably wondering if June had told Kahea of their little 'initiation' yet.

_Bastards, _she thought.

"I-I need to find Zuko and the Avatar, this is the only way I-I can do that. Th-They haven't seen me lik-like that before." She whispered, putting her finger on her temples trying to block out all of those people, all the pissed-off emotions – courtesy of June.

June nodded, and smiled – coming up with an idea.

"Even better." She said, and Kahea looked up at her with red eyes. Like literal, _red eyes_. They were a ruby red with gold flakes by the pupils.

Her dragon side, June now realized. She always thought it was a trick of the eyes, because they were gone so fast and instantly replaced with her regular hazel-blue eyes.

"What do you mean better?" Kahea asked, but then realized it too.

If no one knew what she looked like, no one would bother her.

And she would be able to sneak up on Zuko and the Avatar better. Kahea had already deduced in the crowd of people, that they weren't kidnapped – rather pretending to be, as some sort of sick joke.

That was why the guards weren't doing anything really. She knew the protocol in her sleep.

She knew you never cross-examine witnesses until a certain period.

She knew that June wasn't in it either. She'd never join in something so trivial, so they had to have distracted her, so Zuko and the Avatar could escape.

"What are you doing sitting here?" Yu asked, outraged. Kahea could feel it now, threading out all of the emotions except for his – he was pretending. He was actually having fun with her discomfort.

"I'm planning." She told them honestly, pulling the hood up on the cloak.

"Planning what? The kidnappers could have gotten them by now!" Shin added, trying oh-so-hard to hide a smile.

Kahea looked at them within the shadows of her hood. Another ripple overtook her.

"Protocol says, that the outer guards should have split up by now – proceeding with the personal detail on the inside of the perimeter. We get distracted, he dies. You got me?"

Another shimmer.

"But you did get distracted, didn't you? Those fans of yours? They could be on the other side of the market by now." Shin said, pretending to have lost faith in everything.

"Yes I did. But so did you? Everyone knows that you aren't supposed to cross-examine the witness until you checked the perimeter for tracks."

"We did there aren't-"

"Oh is that so? What about the time limit? It's a stupid rule, I know. But, it helps the witnesses get over such a traumatic incident, and sort out everything in their head. But no. You guys just rushed all up in there, didn't you?"

Shin finally shut up.

"We are wasting even more time standing here talking about the things we should have done. Seems to me the rules are out the window. June and I will make the direct route across the Marketplace while you guys make your way down the sides and alleys of this place." Kahea turned around with June on her shoulder, following the golden and blue stream of energy disappearing across the end of the path, leading up towards the women's apparel store.

_They didn't. _Kahea thought, shaking her head as she entered the store.

"I'm sorry, no shrouds or hats in this store, miss." A woman in fancy clothing strolled up to the two of them. June was about to say something but Kahea stopped her by talking first.

"Oh yes. Please excuse my un-thoughtfulness." She said, giving her un-paid cloak to the lady at the door.

She gasped, finally taking in Kahea's full form.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chp. 9**

_Unknown P.O.V._

Her skin was as tan as the sand, and her shadowy eyes were a mix of all colors, streaking from green to blue to light brown and back to green again.

And her hair, was an almost unnatural color of gold. The kind of gold you see on silk kimono's or when that red sun is lowering into the light blue ocean, the cast of gold that streams through your curtains, is the kind of gold I see before my eyes.

She was standing at the front of the door talking to the sales women, faced away from me, her golden hair curled around her shoulders only showing a little piece of her now exposed lower back.

"I did see them, oddly excited men for a women's binding store…" The sales women muttered, not looking the girl in the eyes, but instead at her body. Her tattoos were easily seen through her uniform.

But in any clothing, they were hard to miss.

One red dragon ran up one arm, and a blue dragon ran up her other, down to her chest, and wrapped around her back and ended in the dip of her lower back.

"A binding store?" June asked. _June_ was one of the Fire Prince's newly appointed guards, good…

"Yes as in women's undergarments? Would you like me to put you in the direction of where they went?" They both nodded eagerly.

Kahea and June strutted down the hallway. Kahea's long flowing hair glided behind her and past me.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder, I sighed in relief. "We should go."

I nodded. We came out of hiding and ran out the front of the building – meeting up with the others.

I had to get to the Avatar before they did. Or else, all of this would have been for nothing.

_Aang:_

Zuko and I found an open window at the back of the store.

_Leave it to Zuko to lead us into a women's undergarment store. _

We jumped through it, and landed feet first in a dead end. The dust puffed into the morning air, eventually settling unto the ground again.

"I think we should stop, she probably hasn't even noticed we're gone yet." I commented and Zuko took a seat on top of a crate, lightly touching his abdomen.

"Are you-" I began to ask but Zuko waved an exasperated hand at me, "I'm fine."

And that was the end of the conversation.

I leaned against the wall of the building, hiding in the shadows.

Katara… She always seemed to creep back up into my mind when I least expected it.

I had to make things better. I had too.

"Well well well, if it isn't the Fire Prince. My, today is a lucky day for us isn't it guys?" A female voice said, emanating from the only exit of the dead end. She was clothed in a long robe – masking herself from us, with a katana placed on her hip. A group of goons masqueraded in _Noh _masks came up behind her, waiting on her call.

"Who are you?" He demanded trying to get up, but couldn't. I tried to get up too, my vision blurred and my legs barely moved an inch.

"Does that really matter? I mean I could say we were the people who tried to kill you that one starry night, but what will you remember anyways?"

My vision blurred for a second. "How dare you! Don't you know who I am?" Zuko exclaimed.

"That was kind of the point." The girl stated, bored with his outburst.

"Enough of this. All of you will be arrested and imprisoned for treason and attempted murder." I said, stumbling out of the shadows, letting the sun warm me to the core. They barely looked surprised.

"Look a little bonus for the boss. He'd surely be happy about this. Feeling a little woozy yet Avatar?" She asked, and just in that moment, I was. My body felt weightless and my eyes felt droopy.

"Well well well, if it isn't Sato, my favorite person in the world." June said, flying through the window impressively.

"June. Wow, just seeing you again makes me realize how much I _still _hate you," Sato grabbed for her katana, but didn't pull it out. She had three other men on each side of her – not terribly scary, but from their physic, they were well built. They didn't have weapons.

"I would be hurt, if only I cared." June moved forward carefully, inching closer to Zuko. She finally got to him and helped him up.

"Who is she?" Zuko asked.

"She's a daughter of a pirate. Sato of the earth kingdom waters. Last I heard you were joining the new rebellion, figures you're here now…"

The weirdest part of this confrontation was that no one moved to fight. It was like they were waiting for something, for _someone. _

"It doesn't matter now, you'll get yours June. I promise you that."

One of the men on her left, dressed in all black, his _Noh _mask reminding me of a red dragon, said: "Fire Prince Zuko, we have come to make a deal with you."

"Why? What's your motive?"

They ignored the question and went on with their demands. "We will stop trying to kill you if you give us something we want."

"What's to saying we imprison you now, then you wouldn't be able to kill him. Why make yourselves so vulnerable out in the open here?"

"Oh I assure you. There are many _many _more of us waiting for our return, and if we don't come back they'll know who to blame."

An overwhelming silence stretched between us and still no one made a move to fight. I would not be the first to attack. I think it is better to talk it out instead of fighting – but again it was just weird. The atmosphere around this place didn't feel right. It felt almost _unnatural_.

"What do you want?" Zuko demanded, finally breaking the silence.

"I knew you'd be the first to cave. We want one thing simply, just one tiny demand and we-"

"What do you _want?_" he reverberated loudly.

"Kahea." The male with the dragon _Noh _mask said simply.

"No!" Zuko and June cried.

These criminals must have been tracking her even before she got here. Was that what she was running from? They must have known what her motives were for coming here and set a trap – a trap to kill her. But, to kill Zuko instead I don't understand.

I played along. "What if we do give you, Kahea. Why would you want her anyway?"

"Seems someone hasn't taken too kindly to her serpent-charm yet? But, I am just a messenger nothing more. My boss wants her for something that he has not told us, but why wouldn't we want her – with _everything_ she can do? She is the ultimate weapon, am I right? Great for the revolution arriving."

June pulled out her twin-katana from under her robe. "_Enough of this. Kahea, catch!" _June threw one of her swords behind the blockade of criminals. Sato turned around to reveal a woman standing right behind her.

This woman wasted no time in snatching Sato. She strutted up to Sato, her knee making contact with Sato's stomach before pin wheeling her off her feet, rendering her unconscious. The woman caught the sword with one hand while holding Sato's left arm at a distance, her foot resting on Sato's neck, keeping her there.

"Anyone else?" she asked, the men turned to run past her, stopping only a few feet away. Out of the only exiting alley, Zuko's guards fought down the _Noh _masked men one-by-one.

"Agni! Could you have more perfect timing?" June said sarcastically, walking Zuko over to one of his other guards, handing him off to go help the woman. Who was she?

The sun shone behind her, causing her light-colored hair to look like a yellow aura around her head. Her eyes were of all colors, but in a darker hue so much that they could easily be mistaken for something , the rest of her reminded me of someone, maybe a few inches taller, but still._ Kahea_.

This was Kahea. In what? Her real form?

"Well I was just letting the bad guys milk their favorite part – the telling of the evil ploy, who knew she was going to talk _so much._" Kahea twisted Sato's arm all the way around.

Was that even possible?

Kahea kept twisting and pulled until it popped off. Immediately I felt better. I looked up, not dizzy or nauseated like before. "What the hell?" Zuko yelled, speaking my own thoughts.

"Relax kid, its fake." She said, waving it around like a toy. She threw it on the ground, trying to pull Sato off the ground. I ran over to help, "I got it." June said, grabbing Sato by the waist and throwing her over her left shoulder.

"Not that! Why? Who? _What are you?" _Zuko ordered. Right, I forgot he didn't know about her.

"Do you want me to tell him?" I asked. Her eyes shone a light grey, and I swear they looked just like mine. She sighed, the excitement of the fight already gone, "No, it was bound to happen sometime."

She walked over to Zuko and offered him her shoulder. Although reluctant he accepted, "We've got a lot too talk about." She said, starting to walk back to the palace, but not before picking up Sato's arm and handing it to June. When I asked her what they were planning to do with it she said, "Lucky charm." I hate to find out what they were really going to do with it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chp. 10**

_Kahea:_

_I smacked him with an unnecessary force, "What is your problem?" Although I could do much worse, I thought a smack in the face was just the wake-up call he needed. _

_He looked down at me like a petulant child, which I was, not even reaching up to touch the spot where I had hit him. _

_"My problem? My little Ryuu, you are my problem. You do nothing but try to take care of these unwashed peasants when you should be controlling armies. Your talents are going to waste here!" He swept his arm in a grandiose expression, displaying the village where I had spent last few weeks in hiding. _

_"These people? Are being raped and tortured for no good reason because of these armies! Do have any idea what these-" I used the same grandiose arm swept like my father, to prove a point "- 'unwashed peasants' have taught me? They taught me how to make clothing, to make my own food, make me independent, make me realize that you don't need to do something for someone and have something in return! You should try it sometime; not trying to squeeze every ounce one person has for your own well-being! You unfeeling, ungrateful little bastard!"_

_I gasped before I realized what I had just said. He took a few breaths to control himself, not looking at me the entire time. _

_We had fights before, but not like this. I never went that far, always afraid of what he might do. _

_For the next few minutes, we did nothing but stand face-to-face without actually looking at each other. _

_A couple of minutes more passed before he said:_

_"That is a lesson you need to learn, Kahea." _

_Lost in his train of thought I said, "What?"_

_"These people were raised to stupidly love whoever came to their village in search of some guidance. This mind-set got them raped and tortured, they were too friendly, the armies – lone men on boats for months upon months selfishly took it as an invitation. Now I am not defending these excuses for men, but if these people didn't love or trust so easily, they would be better off."_

_"How could you say that? Love is better than any army is, any force of nature you fling towards them! It keeps them together; it keeps them bonded beyond our comprehension! How could you say it's stupid?"_

_"And that is the lesson you must learn Kahea. Love gets you killed." _

I woke from my sleep with a jolt, looking around the room, fearful of what I might find. My fathers last words to me echoing in my head over and over again.

_Love gets you killed. _

I went into the palace's infirmary, finding no one there, and slept. When I try to deny my powers for so long, while in a hectic situation, while a thousand people are around me, fucks me up just a bit…

I look at the now lowering sun, calculating how long I have been asleep. Maybe the entire day?

I remember walking Zuko back to the palace.

_"Dragon-catcher huh?" he said, scratching his head with his free hand. _

_"Yup, the papers thought it would be cute. A girl falling from the sky and into the arms of the Ryuu family, is just adorable…" _

_He chuckled lightly at my self-pity, and I didn't mind. We were the last of the group. Everyone eventually made his or her way around us as we walked at an even pace the entire way back to the palace. _

_My hands around his waist, clutching his wrist on top of my shoulders. _

_His hand around my own waist, and I didn't bother to move it. _

_"So those tattoos are what? Some publicity stunt?" We made our way up the steps stopping every so often for Zuko to breath, we stopped at the intimidating doors to the palace before I answered. _

_"Uhm, I actually don't remember getting the tattoos done. It was done long before I could remember the pain, my father said. All I remember is going to day care with all the others kids and they would just stare." _

_"Awh, poor dragon-catcher!" Zuko said, teasingly. I dropped my hold on him in response, and instead of falling face first, he stood up tall. _

_"You're learning." I admired. He smiled like a little kid who just found the last of the chocolates. _

_"You proud?" He asked, and my breath caught. His smile faltered but his eyes shone with an unnecessary intensity that made me take a gulp of breath to make sure I wouldn't faint. _

_I nodded, "Very." I didn't tell him I couldn't read his emotions as I could with other people, because I wasn't sure if it was true or not. I saw his aura, sure, but that was easy, because it never changes really._

_I faltered from his eyes, immensely tired all of a sudden. "I think I should go lie down." _

_"Sure, sure. Aang is planning to cross-examine that girl with the one arm-"_

_"Sato." I supplied automatically._

_"I want you to be there. Tonight,." He said, leaving goosebumps on my skin. _

_I looked up, although it took some effort, his eyes a lighter shade of gold than before. _

_"Of course –"I began but swayed slightly, ready to eat carpet, before Zuko caught me. _

_His larger arms circled my waist, and my hands found their way to his chest. _

_"You alright?" He asked, his warm breath tickling my face. He was warm…everywhere._

_Was that with every firebender?_

_Or just him?_

_What about his chest? It's so big, is that normal? I just wanted to run my hands all over him, and I would've too…_

_Before I knew it there was a long awkward silence stretching between us as he waited for my answer._

_"No," I told him honestly. Something is wrong with me… terribly… _

_I pushed off him, making sure he didn't fall either. _

_I needed to get out of here, and hide. _

_I left Zuko in the middle of the hallway as I ran away from him. Away from what he stood for._

I'm such a coward.

I shifted into a sitting position. I felt…off-balance…

Zuko made me like that…

Everything was fine before I started to talk to him…

I felt the need to see him…everyday. To talk to him, always.

To just peek a look at his…

Nope! Stop it Kahea!

I breathed deeply, and exhaled shakily…

Why? What is this feeling?

Why do I feel like I need him when I barely even know him?

How can I know if I can trust him or not?

Wait, he's the fire prince? He probably has girlfriends up and down this ying-yang…

"UGH!" I screamed exasperated. I fell back on to the bed with an _ouff… _

_Zuko:_

I couldn't sit still. I didn't feel…right.

Was she okay? Where is she? Why did she leave like that? Is someone taking care of her?

I got up from my bed, which I had been sitting in all day just… thinking.

Running over the last few moments, I had with her in my head.

The first time, was for the truth. Which I could tell everything she told me was real. Or at least she believed it was all real.

The second time was to see if she looked ill. Which she didn't, tired maybe but not sick.

About the fourteenth time, I started to look for something I did. Was I too harsh? Too cynical?

But, from her up bringing I was practically a little duckling compared to her father.

I had to find her… I was going crazy.

_Knock..knock…_

"Who is it?" My strong voice betraying the uncertainty I felt.

"It's Aang. Its time," He said. I ran towards the door, happy for a distraction.

"Where's Kahea?" I asked. He looked over at me with a questioning look. "I thought she was with you."

I shook my head, my thoughts racing. "I'll go find her." I decided.

"What about-"

"She's being held in custody, she will be there when I get back." I started to move in the other direction of the interrogation room.

"You've got still sun-down, Zuko."

I found Kahea in the infirmary, fast asleep.

The nurses said they found her asleep when they came back from their lunch break.

"We decided not to disturb her, sleep is the best medicine." Kiryo, the head-nurse, said her wisdom from ages of living striving through her voice.

"Thank you, Kiryo. I mean it." I sat down on the chair next to Kahea, and just watched her.

It was creepy, I admit it. But, it helped the voices of worry in my head shut up for a second.

She was here.

She was in front of me, sleeping peacefully.

She was fine.

It was a long time before sun-down. I yawned, my eyelids trembling.

I could rest here, for a while. I thought.

Before I finally shut my eyes, she whimpered something in her sleep.

I looked directly at her for a good while, when she didn't say anything more I tried to go back to sleep.

She shifted in her slumber, restlessly trying to find a spot where she could be comfortable.

I got up, I don't know why. But I did, I moved to her bedside.

Her hair was a golden-orange; her tresses looked like flowing lava being carelessly thrown on the pillow.

My hand, with a mind of its own, moved a stray hair away from her face. But, it didn't stop there it traced the outline of her tattoo on her hand. The tail of a blue dragon circled on the top of it, moving to the middle of her palm. I moved her hand over, tracing her palm repeatedly.

My thoughts had ceased, it was just physical contact now.

"Zuko." She said, so clearly. I stopped afraid I had woken her. She rolled over again restlessly, mumbling my name once more, and sighed.

The feeling that coursed through me then was unnerving, staggering.

"Zuko!" It was Katara. "I've been looking everywhere for you." I reeled backwards and found the chair with my backside.

"You okay? You look paler than usual?" She came towards me and stopped at the foot of Kahea's bed.

"Is she alright?" Her voice filled with more concern.

"She...She's fine. I have to go. If she wakes up tell her we're waiting for her in the interrogation room." I got up and shuffled past Katara, I sneaked one last look at Kahea before closing the door behind me.

I strutted down the hallway not sure where to go, my thoughts just progressed into one solid fact:

_I can't ignore her any longer. _


	11. Chapter 11

**Chp. 11**

_Kahea:_

I decided I didn't want to slump in bed all day and got up. Before I could get out of the infirmary one of the nurses stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going?" She asked, she was old probably as old as Iroh, and her voice was raspy with age and wisdom.

"I'm sorry for using one of your beds, I just wasn't feeling well and I don't really have a room here soo…"

"Oh cherry blossom, don't worry about it. I'm just glad to see you are okay." She squeezed my shoulder before letting me go.

"Oh cherry blossom, one mo' thing! Katara of the water nation, asked for your presence at a meeting in the interrogation room."

I nodded, "Thank you so much…"

"Kiryo."

"Thank you so much, Kiryo." I bowed before exiting the room.

Katara asked for me? Huh… that's a new one…

I headed towards the interrogation room, but not before running into someone, of course.

"Ouuff!" she cried, her large leather books and scrolls falling to the ground with a bounce.

"Oh Agni, I am so sorry!" I picked up her books and scrolls, as she picked up some scattered papers.

I began to pick up the last largely bound book before a small scroll feel out of the pages.

I picked it up - the calligraphy on the outside both foreign and familiar….

The first word looked like something I've seen before but… I couldn't quite…

The girl snatched the book and the scroll from my hand. "Excuse you!" her voice was nasally.

I looked up, and green eyes peered at me through straight-cut bangs. Tengoku.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry. You're June's assistant right?" I said, trying to make small talk.

"Pftt… more like slave." I felt bad for her – I knew the wrath of June all too well.

"Where are you heading maybe I can help you with your books?" I asked, standing up holding at least three pounds of texts and scrolls in my hands.

"I was going to the interrogation room, June wanted me to research some tactics for her to use." She informed me. Poor girl… June knew how to interrogate a suspect very well – she must have just been playing with this girl.

"Well, hopefully she can use them tonight." I said optimistically, while we made out way towards the room.

Tengoku smiled up at me while we walked down the desolated hallway. A cold breeze coursed, making the lights flicker.

"Cold night, tonight hmm?" I said, only hearing our echoing footsteps.

"Very. Seems the spirits know something is about to take place." She muttered, but I heard her loud and clear.

"You believe in the spirits do you?" I asked as we turned down another hallway. It seemed darker than the first, casting shadows on our faces.

She nodded. "Like I live and breathe."

"Which spirit do you pray too?" I asked, curiously. People in the fire nations didn't talk much about religion. Sure, they practiced it, but they didn't believe in it as our ancestors did. _Too modern_, my father would say, _they're too focused on the latest gossip or the newest hype. _

"Yama." She said, and an involuntary shutter ran through my body.

_The god of death. The god of justice in Naraka, the underworld. _

This chick was creepy…

"Oh, interesting." I replied lamely, and I swear she chuckled but the wind seemed to take the sound out the window.

"There you are!" Katara exclaimed, grabbing my shoulder. For a small girl, she had some toned muscle in that arm…

"It's going disastrous in there, you must hurry!" I looked at Tengoku for help but found only her green-saucer eyes looking at Katara with anger…

Weird chick I swear…

"Do you mind?" I asked her, politely. I gave her her books and scrolls and then I was off.

"No, Kahealani. I don't mind at all." She whispered but I heard it clear as the night sky, it sent shivers down my spine, body aching as I ran with Katara to the interrogation room.

Something wasn't right with her…

The moment I moved past the doorway, I knew something was right in this room.

I knew that they had unleashed something evil…


	12. Chapter 12

**Chp. 12**

Kahea and Katara walked briskly into the hallway leading to the interrogation room, side-by-side. Zuko and Aang found them without hesitation. Aang was blubbering on about how Sato kept speaking in tongues and how the jail cell wouldn't stay together, to which Katara kept supplying him with more questions on to how she was doing this.

"I mean I've heard of these sorts of things in folklore, let alone in real life." She muttered to Aang who quickly agreed with her.

Zuko stood silent walking next to Kahea, abnormally close._ Poor man he must be scared stiff, _she thought. While on the contrary, Zuko stood close enough to her, so that if anything happened – he could protect her.

They opened up the doors and came to a halt when the guards maneuvered their way through them, with hammers.

Kahea gave a questioning look to Zuko who replied, "We told you it was bad."

_Being the badass she was_, Zuko thought, she chucked slightly and moved herself past Aang and Katara, the first to head towards the jail cell they had put Sato in. The interrogation room was made up of two rooms, one was a room with nothing but a chair and table – the chair had belts dangling from the sides, primarily used to strap people in, while the table was more for show – it had two loops on top for the prisoner to put their arms through. The second room, although smaller, had only a small claustrophobic jail cell inside with two guard posts. No windows in either room.

And nowhere to run, but from where you came in…

Sato's eyes were closed as she hastily uttered something that Kahea couldn't make out until minutes later when her brain could finally register. It was a spell.

A spell of black magic.

The guards hammered the cell. Its nails were flying out of its sockets, floating in the air as if it was hanging from a string. Sato herself, was floating in the air, chanting with her eyes closed.

The gang came into the room, minutes later, almost passing the door frame before Kahea stopped them. "Where are the rest of your friends?" she demanded.

Her bag that always stayed against her side was finally being put to use. She pulled out an herb; it had a smug smell that hung heavy in the air.

"They're out tonight, Uncle called them to another meeting." Zuko answered hastily. "What is going on here? And what is that smell?"

"It's sage. It is pretty common in the Water Tribes for warding off evil spirits and black magic." Katara informed them, as Kahea created a flicker of fire in her tattooed hands, lighting the herb up.

"Black magic? So this girl is a witch?" Aang said, sighing in exasperation._Of course she is, let's put ANOTHER twist in my already hectic life, _he thought.

"Apparently, but I wouldn't be surprised. Not so sure as to what spell she's using now, but I'll figure it out soon. Until then maybe you should stay away from this room and that door frame until I'm done here." Kahea suggested.

The guards quit their hammering and left without even a second look back. Zuko saw the looks on their faces and decided it was better to follow Kahea's lead – even as much as it scared him to be in there. She danced around the room, the smoke of the sage snaked around the cold night air like a dragon's tail.

"What does a door frame have to do with anything?" Zuko asked, clutching at his sides. _Witchcraft? Black magic? _He thought. The smell slithered in his nose, and he shivered at the thought of magic anywhere near him. He was a modern man, no religion, no spirits, just facts and reality. _And the fact was Kahea could possible be in danger…We all could possible be in danger… _A small but urgent voice in his head whispered.

"When using black magic, it's usually used for opening portals to summon powers or energy. And where is the one place energy of all sorts come in and out of? A door frame is the simplest portal a mud-blood magician can send for." She said matter-of-factly.

"You use black magic often then, Kahea?" The Avatar asked, and Kahea stopped in her dancing. She looked at him with eyes that held a dark hostility.

"No, but I've studied it. It's good to know of the things that may become a threat to you one day, Avatar." She said, her sweet voice betraying a slight threat.

Sato shouted some gibberish, rocking back and forth in the middle of the cell. The nails that hung in the air, dropped to the floor. Sato let out a high-pitched scream, and then she dropped to the floor as well.

Kahea opened up the cell and hurled Sato against the wall, stopping the chanting.

"If I knew that's all it took I would have done it myself," Zuko said relieved, walking through the door frame.

Kahea looked back to smile before frowning, "I told you not to come through the frame."

"Portal smortal…What's going to happen to me, death? That's the best her magic can do. I think I'll be fine…," he said haughtily, moving into the jail cell leaning up against the bars, staring at the witch as if he was asking for a challenge.

"Don't even joke, Zuko. I swear…" She lifted Sato, with the help of Zuko, unto the chair in the other room. They chained her one-arm to the desk, and the rest of her to the chair.

Her eyes were closed the entire time.

"What now?" Katara asked. They looked at each other for a moment, before everyone rested their eyes on Kahea.

"Now? Now we wait for June to bring her arm…" She said with a smirk.

June came when the sun finally set, Tengoku surprisingly not in her tow.

"Where's Tengoku?" Kahea asked curiously, once June came tramping in the front interrogation room.

"She's sleeping. For a Fire Sage, she's not very lively."

"I thought she was researching for you?"

"No? She's got the day off today…" June said, eyeing out Kahea. She shook her head, "Yeah maybe I just heard her wrong…"

"Do you have it?" Zuko asked, impatient as ever.

"Oh you mean my charming wit and sparkling personality? Always…" she remarked in her monotone voice, flipping her hair over a shoulder.

Zuko practically growled before Aang had to step in, "Where is it, June? I would like to get this over with…"

She pulled the arm out of one of her robes, "Its right here. Nice and safe, Avatar."

He grabbed it, and visibly shuttered. "Now what?"

"Now you attach it back." Kahea said, sitting under the shadows of one of the guards posts.

"What does this have to do with anything?" Katara asked, as if the sound of attaching someone's arm back to his or her body was ludicrous… Which it was…but still…

"Inside that arm is an amulet, her father lodged it in there when she was a baby, it gave her the ability to see the future. But, the only drawback was she would be blind without it – for a pirate anything sounds sane just to get more gold. So, putting the arm back in should let her see us."

"But what if she sees our future and tries to escape?" Katara fired back.

"Well actually there is another drawback. She can only see the ever-changing future, the one where it can change in a blink of an eye. The ever-changing future depends on a persons sole thought and actions – now if we just think and act like we're going to kill her we should be fine." June finished, smiling like a madman at her evil plan…

"Why can't she hear us now?"

"Because I knocked her out already – think of it like an off-switch. Trust me guys, we've done this many times before." Kahea said, leaning forward in her post.

"Err…Alright… Here Zuko your turn!" Aang threw the arm for Zuko to catch. "Ehh…no really Aang I think you should do the honors." He threw it back. "No I assure you! This is more up your alley…", "No no, really. The pleasure is all yours."

They played hop-potato with it for a long time until someone finally cut in.

"I'll do it, for Yue's sake!" Katara snatched the arm from Zuko, stopping the merriment. She took a deep breath before walking closer to Sato. She visibly shuddered as she got close enough to attach it – Katara's eyes never wavered from Sato's closed ones – she pulled up her sleeve and found a metal rod sticking out of the center of her arm. She looked at the arm in her hands. There was a hole adjacent to the rod.

She put the pieces together.

The arm clinked in place, and Sato's eyes popped open. "Hello there, Katara."

Katara jumped back, straight into Aang's arms. He held her close, as her mouth hung open in a silent scream.

"Ho-how do you know my name?" She whispered.

"You are his lover are you not?" She gestured with her un-chained hand to Aang, and winked. "I know _all_ about the spiritual beings that walk this earth, isn't that right Kahealani?" Her voice didn't sound the same; it was morphed somehow – almost like two voices at once.

Kahea's face was masked by the shadows, but her blue eyes shown bright against the contrast of the orange glow in the room. "I'm not here to argue with you, Sato. We need answers."

"Argue? Who's here to argue, you already know I'm right. Don't you Avatar?" She mocked a chuckle in her voice.

"Kahea, what's wrong with her?" Katara asked within the safety of Aang's arms.

"It's not Sato, that's for sure." Aang said, eyeing Sato out from a far.

"Then who the hell is this!" Zuko said frustrated, holding the bridge of his nose in between his fingers. "I hate all of the lying!"

"Sato of the earth kingdom waters, tell us who inhabits your body?" Aang commanded. His voice was a mix of all voices into one, while his eyes burned a furious blue.

Sato smirked, the kind of smirk that is both demented and awkward. "I am the Goddess Kali. I have used this body as a familiar vessel for Kahealani."

"You've got to be kidding me…" Kahea muttered, continuing to eye out Sato, err… or Sato's body… Aang shifted back into his regular state, stunned.

"If only that were true, Kahealani. I usually do not make personal visits like this, but I was summoned, and you are in need of some guidance."

"Guidance from the god of darkness and destruction?"

"Get your religions straight! I am the Goddess of time and change. I am not the destroyer. That is my sister, Shiva." The earth actually shook as Sato gave her lecture. Everyone held on to one another – Katara grabbed Aang, Zuko grabbed Kahea, while June grabbed nothing – she stood up straight like the boss she was.

Once the earthquake passed, June dusted herself off. "Nice parlor trick. She's stalling, Kahea." June said, grabbing Sato's free arm, placing it under the restraints – she didn't even put up a fight.

Kahea jumped off her post and slammed the table making everyone in the room jump. "What are you stalling for? Why are you even here? Who the _hell _sent you?"

"Tsk…tsk… Didn't your father ever tell you never to swear in a temple?"

"My father has nothing to do with this! He's dead!"

"Do you really think so?" A still silence hung in the air. Kahea looked to Aang who grasped Katara so tightly; she had red marks on her arms.

"I-I…he's dead." She said again, dispassionately. She wasn't sure, no one was sure. Not even the almighty Avatar…

"Ahh…my little Ryuu. You don't really believe that do you?" Kahea bolted backwards. She looked at Sato's eyes which were once green hued turned into a fiery red like her fathers. She put her fingers to her temples. "This isn't real…You're just trying to fuck with me." she shouted but Sato just chuckled.

"I came to warn you and your new friends. There is a battle coming. One no mortal or god has seen in ages…"

"What are you talking about? Aang is she _real?_" Zuko demanded, his low voice striking down like thunder.

"From what I can tell there is a God in that body." Aang whispered, as he placed himself between Katara and Sato.

"Ahh, Zuko. _The redeemer._ You know all about death, don't you? Did you know that Kahealani is part immortal, did ya'? did ya', did ya'?" Sato mocked, but no one seemed to laugh except for her.

Kahea stopped holding her temples to look at Sato then at Zuko, then back at Sato. "Part. Immortal?" she prolonged each word as if those were the only words she could spit out.

"You mean no one has told you!" Sato laughed, wholeheartedly. She looked around the room with her black-as-night eyes, "Seems as if everyone knows except for you and the redeemer? Hmm… just like the legend goes."

"Stop calling me redeemer! You are bullshitting all of us!" Zuko panted and glanced around the room at everyone's uneasy face, "Right?"

"Kahea, I was supposed to tell you when the time was right." The Avatar sighed, letting go of Katara. "But you were furious with me and I didn't think you would believe me!"

She shook her head repeatedly. "Noo…no..noo, NO! You have to be kidding me! This is all some joke right. I can't be immortal? I've…" Kahea backed herself into the wall, accidentally banging her head against it. She held the back of her head with her hands. Letting go, she glanced at her now bloodstained hands.

"This! Look at this! This is blood! Immortals do not bleed!" She stuck her bloody fingers in Sato's face, who then proceeded to lick her lips.

"This is why you are _part_ immortal. You can bleed and you can heal, but you can never die at the hands of a mortal-", she glanced at the very-confused and frustrated Zuko, "-but you can die at his hands." Kahea and Zuko looked at each other as if they've never really seen each other until now...


	13. Chapter 13

**Chp. 13**

"You are lying!"

"Are you so sure about that redeemer?" Sato smiled, "Have you ever wondered why you couldn't see her death? Was it really because of this sick fantasy you have of her being _the one _or because she was to die at your own hands all along…"

"You can see people die?" She whispered, but Zuko heard it loud and clear…

"I-I was going to tell you but I just figured since I couldn't see your death I didn't have too." He finished lamely. Zuko looked at Kahea whose face was under the camouflage of night.

"It seems all of you just keep neglecting to tell me things…" she mumbled.

"How can you trust these people? What have they done for you but lie and betray you…"

"Betray me…," she repeated.

In that moment everything stopped, the air around them did not shift and the energy hung in place.

_Something is wrong, _Kahea thought looking for anyone who figured it out too.

But they were frozen. Like literally, frozen in place. No movement, no breathing, no nothing…

Kahea looked at Sato's body for mere seconds. It was only Sato and her that could move.

"Why have you frozen them?" she asked hysterically, but her voice was oddly calm.

"Because you need to make a decision, without outer influence." She gestured her head to Zuko.

"What decision?" she asked, again her voice unbiased.

"This war is all about you. Who knows if they will keep these pretences up once they figure out who their real enemies are…"

"And who are my real enemies? You, the gods?" she wagered.

"I am but a measly messenger. This war was carved in stone long before any of you were ever born. You must seek the legend Kahea, to find the truth. Then you will find your enemies."

"So what are you to me?"

"I am neutral. I am neither against you nor for you. I am alright with the outcomes on either side."

"But you need to choose now-" she continued, "which side you are on. These _mortals,_ or with those gods – with your real mother and father."

"They are there?" she asked.

"Yes, they didn't just call you dragon catcher for nothing, Kahealani. You choose them over this world and you will get to see them again."

Kahea took a deep breath and surveyed her options. She could save the world, which never really treated her much kindly, or she could live forever somewhere with her father and mother. She looked around the room.

"What happens to them?" she asked, her eyes flickering towards Zuko's motionless figure. He looked as though he was ready to scream.

"They all die. This world dies, and the Demons and Gods will reign over the universe."

_Wow…,_ she thought.

"Do they know you are here?"

"I came on my own, I came because long ago I made a promise to your grandmother, I suppose."

I soft murmur came from a corner of the room. It was Aang. His eyes moved back and forth, wildly.

"Did he hear everything?" She asked Sato, and Sato alone.

"Yes, since he is the Avatar I can not fully stop him or the time around him. He cannot speak, or move, completely."

"You must hurry, Kahealani." She continued, "Time is of the essence."

She looked to Aang, who stared at her, his gray eyes so huge she thought he was going to faint. She weighed her options again, this time already favoring one side over the other.

"I choose this universe, I choose the mortals and everyone who lives or has lived on this land." She spoke, and it seemed that time started to move again; the energy flowed through the room. Kahea was hit with rage, gluttony, sadness, and fear.

"May I ask why you chose that decision?" Sato's body asked, but Kahea could hardly breath at the sudden impact.

"Although this world didn't treat me right. I am not giving up on it just yet, and if you want to fling enemies at me – I assure you I will not go down without a fight."

"And you think that just because I may be able to kill her, you would think I'll do it! ARE YOU MAD? As long as Kahealani is in this world and under my watch, NO ONE IS GETTING TO HER, do you understand?" Zuko boomed his deep voice resonated throughout the interrogation room, shaking the wall just a little.

"Understood." Sato said, smiling.

"Guards take her away!" he commanded. They came and began to take her to a high-security prison but before she left she added, "I think you made the right choice Kahealani. In the world and in your man…"

_Really? A god trying to give me dating advice…gee thanks… _


	14. Chapter 14

**Chp. 14**

**_Kahea:_**

"We need to see that legend." We all reconvened in Iroh's personal bedroom. It was simple, a bed in the center, walls adorned with nothing. It was awkward still seeing after the Avatar and I told everyone about the impending war, we barged in Iroh's room expecting to find him alone…

"UNCLE!" Zuko yelled exasperated, covering his own eyes.

"Err…my nephew! What are you doing in here?" He hoped off his bed robe untied, showing more than I would have wanted…well what anyone would have wanted.

"Oh my!" I muttered, shielding my own eyes from the scuffle of half-naked old people gathering their garments.

"Ow! Watch where you're putting those hands mister…"

"UNCLE!" he cried again.

Iroh chuckled, "It's alright you may open your eyes now."

I peered through the holes in between my fingers, only to find Kiryo sitting on the frayed blankets.

"Kiryo?" I asked, wondering if what I was seeing was real. Because you know the world is going to end, if Iroh is getting it on and got caught…

"Hello cherry blossom, nice to see you again!" her face was flushed and her hair was chaotic. Iroh walked over to his nephew, clutching his shaking shoulders.

"Nice to see you…" I began but Zuko decided it wasn't time for greetings.

"We just met a god…well it wasn't really a god but a god in a girl's body. She said that I was the only one who could kill Kahea, and I mean I'm not planning on doing that so don't worry, but she or he said there was a legend about all of us, do you know anything about that? No more lies, or sparing my feelings, I need the truth uncle…" He whispered, staring at his uncle with a petrified expression.

"Kiryo, I think you should leave now." She didn't even look back as she skipped out of the room, smiling-ear-to-ear.

"Which God was it?"

"Shani." His mouth made an 'O' shape before promptly closing.

"Well that's makes some sense…"

"That makes _some _sense! None of this makes _any _sense! Iroh what is going on?" I blurted out the next part before I could stop myself, "Why does everyone want to _kill me?_ Because believe me if I knew, I would have done it myself a long time ago…"

Toph, Sokka, Suki, and Makoto came running in then, confused at the conversation-taking place. Someone was going to have to fill them in…

"No one is going to kill you. Not even yourself." Zuko said gradually, in the long silence of my outburst. Not looking at me but at his uncle, instead.

"He is right, Kahealani. We are not letting anything happen to you." Iroh glanced over at me as if these sorts of things happen daily.

"But this-this is my entire fault! Can't you see? If I weren't here right now, you would all be fine – you all would be as happy as you ever were before I even stepped foot in your lives." My vision was blurred, water cascading out of my eyes. My hands glowed, as I tried to calm myself back down.

No one knew me, why would they stand to protect me? All I bring is chaos and destruction to their perfect world.

I could go into hiding again. I could go far away and battle whatever monsters that come at me on my own? Like I've always done…

"No. That would not be possible." Zuko muttered, standing in front of me. He bent over slightly so we could be looking at each other eye-to-eye. I looked down at the floor, intimidated.

"Kahea look at me." He didn't do anything, until I did so.

"If there is anything I know. Is that these people-" he shrugged over his shoulder, "are exceptionally good at the whole 'take over the world' ploy-" I was about to say something but he interrupted me, again. "-So sure we don't know you. But we don't know many people in the world, and you just to happen to have saved my life. I owe you, don't I?"

My mouth hung open, I didn't know anyone who would protect me, just like that…

"I'm in." I turned my back to find Toph stepping forward. "If the world is going to end, again. I might as well be there when we save this mother-"

"Shut yo' mouth!" Makoto said, hugging Toph from behind. "And if my lady is in, so am I."

"Me too." Suki said, who then nudged Sokka, with a mouthful of fire flakes in his mouth, "Of course I'll do it. WATER! I NEED…Ooh...thanks Hun..."

"I'm in." Katara said a smile placed on her face.

"I'm always in for a little fun." June said, squeezing my hand before letting go, heading towards the Avatar's side. They all made a line, a line of hero's and protectors – a line of allegiance.

"I am the Avatar. This is what I do. And from now on, I promise no more secrets." I nodded, finding the loyal energy in this room focused on me. They would be faithful to their promises, I had to trust that. I realize that now, I realize that maybe my father was wrong after all…

I looked back at Zuko, his face just mere inches from mine. The heat seemed to morph off him and absorb into my skin, like sunlight.

"Thank you." I whispered, "I don't know what I can ever do to repay you…"

"Not even think about it." He straightened up and looked to his uncle.

"So that legend?" His balmy hand grazed mine for a few stolen moments, warming it up completely.

"It's not so much a legend as a prophesy…a destiny if you will – a destiny for all of you."

"Where is it?"

"In the Fire Sages temple, we will head there tomorrow. But until then I think you all should get a good nights sleep." Iroh suggested shooing us out of his room.

We headed outside, and I hugged every one of them – thanking all of them profusely.

They all left with smiles and 'your welcomes', all of them except for one.

I perched myself on top of the railing on one of the balconies. It was a beautiful night, considering.

"Hey." He said, his low voice distant as he stood inside the palace. I turned around.

"Hey there yourself,"

"So ancient prophesy and God's trying to kill the world aside – what do you think of my fine palace?" Zuko joked lamely, wiggling his eyebrows about, and I busted out laughing. I liked lame jokes.

"Your palace is wonderful I must say."

"The palace is not wonderful, it is the people who live in it that make it grand – as my mother would once say," he said, his large footsteps moving closer. The night sky was vast with stars and the wind blew with a mighty strength.

"Are you trying to compliment yourself?" I asked, turning my head to the side.

"No-no I was trying to compliment you…ehh…I'm not too good with..."

"Flirting?" I guessed and he nodded his head once, solemnly.

"Guilty conscience maybe?" I said, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Zuko. You are too good to be true, aren't you?" I asked, looking at his…everything.

"Hardly…" he said, resting his elbows on the bars of the balcony. His voice etched with self-pity.

"Are you pregnant?" I asked.

He laughed, "No, not this time…"

"Are you just really a cabbage merchant who hates kids?"

"Actually you know what? I might be."

"Do you have a girlfriend?" He sucked in a deep breath. "Ahh, I think I've struck gold, Captain…"

"It's not what you think though. Me and her…we haven't really…been together for awhile now."

I scratched my head, itching the gnawing feeling that someone else was watching us. I looked around, my palace guard training kicking in.

"But, you've been with her for years now from what I gather…"

"Who tol-" then he stopped himself, only to slap himself in the head – "June…"

"She was just looking out for me. Don't get mad at her about it. I mean how dense do you think I am that I wouldn't figure it out? I am your personal guard! One way or another I would have."

I realized then that I did love him. Not a love-at-first-site-love, but a I-am-willing-to-be-reincarnated-so-we-can-be-born-again-and-find-each-other-all-over-again type of love. But, from what I knew – I didn't deserve that. I didn't deserve him.

"I'm sorry." He broke away from the balcony and sat on the ground, head in his hands.

I wanted to smile and cry all at the same time. I felt like I was breaking.

But I was – _me. _Boys shouldn't be a problem. It shouldn't tear me up inside as much as it really does. What is wrong with me?

"Her name is Mai." He said, silently. My hands burned, I pushed them up against the balcony so he wouldn't be able to see the flames growing in my hands.

_Calm down… he's not worth it...no boy is…_

"She's _different. _Not as…emotional as you are."

_Did he just call me emotional? Oh, Agni I will knock the emotion right out of this boy if he doesn't stop talking… _

"But, that's not what I want. I mean it _was _what I wanted for awhile. The whole dealing with seeing people die was _hard – _still is – but, since she didn't show any emotion, neither would I. It made me strong. It made me a professional in how not to feel for _anything._ But then you come along…" He laughed in self-pity. He seemed to do that a lot.

"Before you came I had…forgotten….and you just show up and _blow my mind. _You feel for everything, and you can feel for _everyone_! You have so much compassion for those who don't deserve it and you have this calmness that is _infectious._ I just can't seem to get away from you, stop thinking about you."

"You're lying." I stated to the wind. I couldn't look at him just yet.

He deserved a wonderful girl. One who would challenge him and never make him settle as he does, for everything. Someone to love him unconditionally. He didn't need my baggage and me. I couldn't drag him along to my path of (immortal) destruction…

"No I am not. I would never lie to you. Can't you see that? Why would I risk so much as lying to you, when you know exactly what I am feeling for you?" He came up behind me, spinning me around until I was face-to-face with his shoulder.

"Please just look…look at what I feel for you. You can do that can't you?" He held me gently by the sides of my arms. I closed my eyes; his touch was always so nice. Something that I would never get mad at, never deny, even if he was a blubbering idiot…

"How do you see people die, Zuko?" I blurted. He sucked in another breath.

"What…didn't you just hear wha-"

I interrupted him; something on my mind just wouldn't go away, even as much as I wanted it too. "I'm assuming its touch right? Because you wear these tattered gloves everywhere, you go although not when you're around me…"

"You can see my death right?"

I looked up at his chin and found him gazing into the distance. "No. I can't."

"That makes sense…" I looked down at my feet. He wasn't able to see my death and I wasn't able to feel his emotions, some sick trade-off I guess…

Damn you Gods…

"None of this makes any sense. The only thing I know _wholeheartedly _is that I love you."

"Love me enough to break up with her?" I asked bluntly.

He looked down at me and I could feel his gaze burning into the top of my head. A pensive silence grew between us and I couldn't take it anymore.

"Zuko I don't think it would be best. This…this isn't healthy."

"No-I mean I can-"

"No, Zuko. Stop." He did.

"Are you sure you don't want me just because of your own selfish needs? How do you think that makes me feel, Zuko? I don't want to be in a one-sided relationship like that."

He took me by the shoulders, looking me in the eyes. His breath was hot on my face. He smelt like different spices that warmed my senses. I hated that I felt that this for him. I hated that I couldn't stand even in the same room with him without thinking about being with him. What he felt like when he held me… What his kisses would taste like…

"Tell me that you don't want to be with me. Tell me that you don't feel attracted to me. That you don't wonder what it's like to be together. That you don't let a day go by without my touch. Because I know, that's what I feel for you. I think I love you, Kahea…"

_That's what I feel for you, from the day I met you, Zuko. _I should have said that, should have done whatever was in my power to be with him, because that was exactly how I felt and if he felt it too…

But, I didn't.

I looked at his golden hued eyes, taking them in, for what happened to be the last time I saw them.

"I lived for _years_ watching my father cheat on my mother, and when she would confront him he would always tell her _he loved her. _Stop talking about love. Every asshole in the world says he loves somebody. It means nothing. It still doesn't mean anything. What you feel only matters to you. It's what you do to the people you say you love, that's what matters. It's the only thing that counts. So you think cheating on your girlfriend with me is love-" I shook out of his hold, and he dropped his hands feebly, his eyes like saucers.

"I do not want to be with you. I feel nothing for you, and I have never once wondered what it was like to be with you or touch you, Zuko. If you're looking for someone to screw over just because you have some royal scoreboard you need to mark off for every woman you have sex with – you came to the wrong person." I turned back around, staring at his shoulder – I couldn't make myself look at his face.

"_I'm sorry, Zuko." _

And with that, I walked out of the door. And he didn't come running after me.

That night I cried myself to sleep.

Tucked in my bed sheets, I cried into the pillows leaving water stains in the fabric. This was like nothing my father could have done to me. This was someone I loved, and I just shoved him aside.

Love?

It makes you vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you.

They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore.

Love takes hostages.

It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'I'm sorry' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind.

It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain.

I hate love.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chp. 15**

_Zuko: _

How silly and stupid to think that this fantasy would last? How naïve was I to believe that the inevitable pain and suffering wouldn't soon follow?

I lay in bed that night, watching the shadow of dawn creek across the ceiling. The ceiling that I have been staring at all night just – thinking.

She was good at getting under my skin. I painted the picture in my head all over again. Throwing away scraps of what I did say, with things I should have said.

Said to keep her near.

It was all purely physical attraction. Gazing at her body, wanting her touch, that was all just some inane attraction. Wasn't it?

_Knock-Knock…_

I don't even remember opening up the door before Toph sauntered her way in.

"I have something for you." She plopped a large box in my arms.

I looked down at the tag. "It's from my father."

"It's heavy." She said, sitting down on my bed as if it were second nature for her.

"Must be his hopes and dreams for me," I placed it on the table next to the balcony. I didn't want to deal with that just yet. This was nothing new, ever since they gave him leeway such as writing down his 'thoughts and feelings' as psychiatric homework, he would ask them to send it to me. After every session, the family psychiatric would put it in a box; once it was full, they would send it.

I've read some, such as 'I thought you could do better', or 'You are a disgrace to this family". He wrote a couple of musical playwrights too – not too bad might I add, 'How you have ruined me,' is quite a good number.

"Hmm, I thought he had discarded those years ago." She added playfully.

I half-smiled, leave it to Toph to make my family dilemmas into a joke.

"You alright? You seem…tired."

"Well let's see, I just agreed all of us to saving the world again just because of some…girl. And apparently their pulling out all the bells and whistles, upper gods and demons are probably taking bets as to who will win this fight." I laid down next to her – it was _my_ bed after all.

"I knew something was coming, but I didn't think it would be this…enormous."

"Enormous, I like that word." I stated.

She laughed, "How about colossal?"

"Mammoth,"

"Epic,"

"Gargantuan,"

"Gargantuan?" She rubbed her chin, processing. "I like gargantuan."

I closed my eyes, and opened them. Then closed them. Open. Close. Open. Close.

It didn't matter which way I looked or if I was looking at all – all I saw was _her. _

What was wrong with me?

"Did something happen?" She asked after a while.

"What do you mean?"

"Like between you and Mai or something? Because someth-I don't know, something is off with you. On a more, emotional level."

"Since when are you Mrs. Emotional?" I laughed.

"Since Kahea has been teaching me to reach into people's auras…" Toph continued to go on and on but I stopped listening after she said _her_ name. It sounded weird out in the open. Sure, I had been thinking about her since, but never once had I uttered her name.

_Stop talking about love. Every asshole in the world says he loves somebody. It means nothing. It still doesn't mean anything. What you feel only matters to you. It's what you do to the people you say you love, that's what matters. It's the only thing that counts. _

I groaned.

"Alright that's it. Come on!" She pulled me off the bed. She ran down the hall with too much speed at this hour in the morning. She stormed into the only bedroom in the west wing, and I was greeted with a familiar beautiful face.

Mai.

And under Mai?

A male, someone whom I have never seen – and will never see again.

"_Get out of my palace. Right now,"_ I said, closing my eyes and fists. I knew this was going to happen, I just knew it.

Toph earthbended that _boy_ out of the bed and I roundhouse kicked him out of the window – he wasn't even worth firebending. I could have cared less what happened to him then.

I was about to storm out of her room, when Toph stopped me.

"Talk," She said, "You have until the second guard rounds the outside of this very door. Oh and Mai? Fuck you bitch." Without another word she stomped out of the room, leaving the door open – so we could see the new guard change, I supposed.

"What do you want Zuko?"

_If you're looking for someone to screw over just because you have some royal scoreboard you need to mark off for every woman you have sex with – you came to the wrong person._

"I was going to ask do you think I love you? But I think I already know that answer…" I rubbed my eyes with the backs of my hands. I need a drink.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She got out of her bed, her long black nightgown flowing onto the floor. She was always so beautiful, so _pure. _

"Answer the damn question." I walked over to the dresser at the base of her bed. Sitting on it, I looked at my gloved hands, willing them not to burn my palace down.

Gloved. Always gloved.

She drifted over, sitting next to me, she sighed. "Do I think that _you _love me?"

I nodded.

"I think that you _loved _me."

"You don't mean that?" I said, but it came out as a question.

"Sadly, I mean every word. I think that you loved the thrill when we were together. Remember those nights on the run?" I nodded.

It was hard not to remember nights like those that seemed to take your breath away. But, I think I knew someone else who took my breath away every time I saw her…

"How long have you thought this? How long have you been doing this?"

"Ever since we got back from the war." She stated, looking ahead out the open door.

I got up, swiftly. "Why haven't you said, _anything?_"

"Because, you were always in such a bad place, and you told me that if you were miserable that you rather be miserable with me – so I stood by that." She looked me straight in the eye, dark irises never seeming to take interest in anything – not even herself.

"I know you don't believe that." We stared at each other until the hooves of the first guard seemed to drift away.

She sighed. "I haven't said anything because _I_ _loved you too, Zuko._ I thought that you could make it work for us, but there was too much. Azula's death. Your…incident. I couldn't just run away. What would people think of me? What would they say?"

I fumed, "What would_ they _think of you?What about what_ I _would think of you?" Oh Agni, you are so _shallow! _Pack your things, and _leave." _

"_I'M SHALLOW? WHAT ABOUT YOU? FUCK AND DUMP IS THAT THE ROYAL GAME NOW?" _She screamed, throwing stuff around, causing more attention to herself. But somewhere in the back of my mind, this all looked – staged. Rehearsed, almost.

"LEAVE. NOW!" My voice boomed over hers, and she quit her tantrum. "After years of being together, you have faked half of that. _All of that? _You need to leave now. You need to get out of my site, before I do something I might never regret."

She left then. And I didn't look back to see her go. I sat on her bed, thinking.

I stood up, breathed in and breathed out.

Fire.

I roundhouse kicked the beams of the bed until they fell into the now spreading fire. I flared and jumped until the guards pulled my body out of the wing before it all burned down to the ground.

I sat outside of the West wing, breathing in the smoke. I didn't feel anything then, only the burning in my hands and the scars forming on my face.

"He's here! I found him." I looked down at my hands. They burned so hot they seemed to have burned the gloves right off.

She placed her small fingers under my chin so I would face her. I closed my eyes. I didn't deserve her touch.

"Looks like someone had some fun." Kahea joked lightly, as if I didn't just burn down a third of the royal palace.

I've never cried in front of a woman before. It was degrading and dishonorable, in every culture I have heard of and especially in the eyes of my father. But, she gave me a look of not pity or sadness, but understanding.

She let go of my face and sat next to me.

She I assumed watched the west wing burn down to the ground, while I listened to the crackling of fire and the amount of how many breaths she took.

Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said. She just _knew. _


	16. Chapter 16

Chp. 16

_Kahea:_

I've never seen Zuko like this. This was almost unnatural.

Even though I've only been here for a short amount of time, I knew this wasn't like him at all.

Whatever happened in that fire, whatever went down in there…

The person who came out was not Zuko.

It couldn't have been.

He wasn't himself, that's for sure.

They weren't his eyes anymore…

A brazen self-loathing gaze could be seen clearly in them.

I remember seeing that same gaze a handful of times, but on Ozai.

And that scared me more than anything…

_Knock – knock _

I left he's side and opened the door. "How is prince Zuko? I came as soon as we finished gathering all the supplies that weren't destroyed in the fire." It was Kiryo, with a gang of nurses under her wing.

I nodded and opened the door a little wider for them to enter.

"He's asleep now. Scratches and burns covering his entire body. I tried to heal him the best I could but…" She nodded not waiting for me to finish.

"I understand. You must be exhausted. The healing only works fully if you're at peace, you know that Kahea. Why would you push yourself like that, you know it's not healthy…"

I shrugged. "I just wanted to help…"

She looked at me over Zuko's sleeping body. "I understand."

"I'm sorry to hear about the Nurse's Wing. How bad is the damage?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

It was her turn to shrug. "Not too bad. Nothing we can't fix." She gave me a heart-wrenching smile.

I nodded. "If there's anything I can do…"

"I know, but the best you can do is sleep right now."

I opened and closed my eyes. Open. Close. Open. Close. There were stars in my eyelids.

There was a warm hand on my shoulder. "Okay honey, don't fall. I've got you. Here can someone help me with her…"

There was another pair of hands on my back, guiding me back into the room.

Open. Close. Open.

They brought me to Zuko's bedside, and I randomly glared at the door.

I shouldn't have let this happen.

My emotions got the best of me and now?

I looked down.

He had been asleep all night and most of the morning. And I've been beside him, keeping guard.

A little to late, but I had to make it up somehow.

I yawned, trying to hide it with the back of my hand.

Zuko shifted in his bed and turned over, his back to me.

I had considered hunting down whoever had caused him this much pain, but I decided better of it.

Zuko needed me here and now. Once he woke, I would ask him what happened, but until then…

They sat me on his bed.

I yawned.

Lying down, I rolled over and curled up in his blankets, not aware of the nurses slowly retreating.

His bed was soft and smelled like him, I easily fell asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Chp. 17

_Anonymous P.O.V._

My legs…

They kept walking, but I wasn't the one controlling them.

My mouth…

It kept moving, talking. Telling lies. Telling people to do things that could get them in trouble.

That girl…that poor poor girl…

What have I done?

I continued to walk, not knowing where I was going, only knowing that there was something pulling me in that direction.

This isn't me. I am trapped.

Even in my mind. There's something here, in the dark crevices, controlling me.

Getting me to do its bidding.

I need to stop. I grabbed my left leg, pushing it down into the ground, willing myself not to move.

_Please someone help me! _I screamed, but it only echoed in my mind.

"Please! Someone!" I cried, and I felt a sickening snap in my back.

_No one is going to help you. You are mine now. _

I cried out in pain.

"Stop! You can't do this!" I threw myself against the wet dripping walls of the dark hallway.

I cried out in pain when my broken spine contacted with the stonewall.

_I can make this stop. Do you want me to make this stop? _

I tried not to move, every inch of my body was on fire. But it didn't help with the pain.

It just kept getting worse.

_Just say the words and I can make this all go away. _

My arm contorted in an awkward angle, I screamed.

Why is there no one down here who can hear me? Where is everyone?

The guards? The prison-mates? Somebody!

"What? What are the words!" I crimpled on to the ground, my mouth shook with pain, stuttering my words.

My back finally giving out, I contorted against the cold floor. I was surprised my mouth was still able to function.

I wanted to die.

_I give you complete control. _

I breathed, but roughly coughed up blood.

I was weak.

Not only was I alone, but no one cared for me anymore. He was the last one…

"I give you complete…control."

A dark haze went over in my mind and all the pain was gone.

My body picked itself up.

I tried to move my arm, but it barely even shifted.

I couldn't hear myself as I walked through the desolate hallways underground.

I couldn't smell the sweat coming off my body in waves.

I couldn't taste the blood in my mouth.

I had no control.

All I could do was watch myself through my eyes, and not do a thing.

It was a dark and cold feeling.

No one to hear you scream.

No one to tell that you are a hostage in your own body.

I felt darkness.

The voice in my head was gone, but its ominous presence had shifted from the crevices of my mind to my entire body.

_What are you doing? _I tried to ask.

Silence.

My body moved passed a pair of guards who bowed their heads in my presence. They opened up the cell door and my body walked right inside.

It was dark in this room. But, I could make out two able figures.

A man behind bars, and a woman sitting on one of the guard posts, watching him from a distance.

I felt scared. I wanted to scream and yell at the guards for not knowing the difference between me and _this _me. But I couldn't do anything.

No one in the room seemed to know I had entered.

_What's going on? _A scared voice entered my head.

_How can I hear you? _I thought back to the voice, hoping for an answer.

_There's something wrong with me, my body… it's not…working. _It felt like a female voice, but she wasn't responding to me.

My arm slammed the door behind me.

_Me too. I don't know what's going on._ I said even though she couldn't hear me.I wanted to cry. My body looked to the man in bars.

His hair blended into the rest of the room, but his alabaster toned body contrasted against it all.

He was faced away from me, but his body jolted up and down so I assumed he was laughing. My body walked right against the cell bars and I found my mouth moving, "So this is where my lover is stored. Why, how accustomed you have made yourself, to match the dirt on the floor with the dirt in your smile."

His body chuckled and from the shallow breaths he took, I assumed he was talking back.

"I have her blood right here." I said. I distinctly remembered the act, but my mind was foggy. "The demon didn't even suspect a thing. Easy for me too, they were holding her hostage, just for me."

That was a demon? I took demon blood? My head moved to the woman on the guards' post.

"Did anyone see you?" The woman mouthed.

_I'm talking, but how am I talking? Help me, please! I did something terrible! _The girl screamed in my head.

"Of course not, we've spent eighteen years, devising this plan. You think I'd let just anyone see me?"

"Then tell me what took you so long?" The woman mouthed again.

"This…body, she was resisting on my way back from Kali._ Agni_, she's one self-righteous bitch, she won't even admit to being even remotely related to us…"

My head whipped to the man in the cell. He had their attention now.

I needed to get out of here. I need to get free.

_Sleep. _The ominous voice was back. It was growling and low.

_I will not sleep! I need to get out of here! _

_Sleep. _It commanded and my eyes, drooped.

_Stay awake damn it! Don't give in!_

The last thing I saw was the man turn around to catch my falling body through the bars.

"Sleep," He mouthed, his golden-red eyes staring at me with a new obsession.

Ozai.


End file.
